THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION
AND INTIMATE PARTNER ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION
AMONG MARRIED INDIVIDUALS:
MEDIATING ROLE OF EARLY MALADAPTIVE SCHEMAS
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
OF
MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
BY
BEGÜM BABUŞCU
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR
THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN
THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
SEPTEMBER 2014
Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences
_____________________
Prof. Dr. Meliha Altunışık
Director
I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of
Master of Science
Prof. Dr. Tülin Gençöz
Head of Department
This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully
adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science
Prof. Dr. Hürol Fışıloğlu
Supervisor
Examining Committee Members
Assist. Prof. Dr. Emre Selçuk
(METU, PSY)
Prof. Dr. Hürol Fışıloğlu
(METU,PSY)
Assist. Prof. Dr. Dilek Sarıtaş-Atalar (ANK. UNI., PSY)
I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and
presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare
that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced
all material and results that are not original to this work.
Name, Last name : Begüm Babuşcu
Signature
iii
:
ABSTRACT
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION
AND INTIMATE PARTNER ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION
AMONG MARRIED INDIVIDUALS:
MEDIATING ROLE OF EARLY MALADAPTIVE SCHEMAS
Babuşcu, Begüm
M.S., Department of Psychology
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Hürol Fışıloğlu
September 2014, 93 pages
Present study aimed to investigate the relationship among parental acceptancerejection, intimate partner acceptance-rejection, and early maladaptive schemas in
married individuals. In addition, the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in
the relationship between remembered parental acceptance-rejection and perceived
intimate partner acceptance rejection was another purpose of the study to examine. In
order to meet these aims, 228 married individuals between the ages of 23-75
participated in the study, and answered adult version of Parental AcceptanceRejection Questionnaire, Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire, and
Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3. Relationships among the study
variables were examined by using Pearson Correlation analyses. According to the
results, remembered childhood rejection from mothers or fathers was related to
higher perceived rejection from spouses. Moreover, remembered parental (both
maternal and paternal) rejection was also found to be significantly correlated to all
schema domains namely disconnection/rejection, impaired autonomy, impaired
limits, other directedness, and unrelenting standards. On the other hand, perceived
rejection from intimate partner was found to be related with disconnection/rejection,
impaired autonomy, and unrelenting standards schema domains. After correlation
analyses, mediation analyses through Bootstrapping method were conducted. Results
iv
of the mediation analyses reveled that disconnection/rejection schema domain
significantly mediated the relationship between remembered parental (both maternal
and paternal) acceptance-rejection and perceived intimate partner acceptancerejection. In the light of earlier studies and theoretical backgrounds, findings of
current study were evaluated and discussed.
Keywords: Parental Acceptance-Rejection, Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection,
Early Maladaptive Schemas.
v
ÖZ
EVLİ BİREYLERDE EBEVEYN KABUL-REDDİ
VE EŞ KABUL-REDDİ ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİDE
ERKEN DÖNEM UYUMSUZ ŞEMALARIN ARACI ROLÜ
Babuşcu, Begüm
Yüksek Lisans, Psikoloji Bölümü
Tez Yöneticisi: Prof. Dr. Hürol Fışıloğlu
September 2014, 93 sayfa
Bu çalışma evli bireylerde ebeveyn kabul-reddi, eş kabul-reddi ve erken dönem
uyumsuz şemalar arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemeyi amaçlamıştır. Çalışmanın bir diğer
amacı ise erken dönem uyumsuz şemala alanlarının kişilerin hatırlanan çocukluk
dönemi ebeveyn reddi ile evliliklerinde algıladıkları eş reddi arasındaki ilişkide aracı
rolünü araştırmaktır. Bu amaçlar doğrultusunda 23-75 yaş aralığındaki 228 evli kişi
çalışmaya katılmış ve Ebeveyn Kabul-Red Ölçeği’ni, Eş Kabul-Red Ölçeği’ni ve
Young Şema Ölçeği – Kısa Form 3’ü cevaplamışlardır. Bulgulara göre, hatırlanan
çocukluk dönemi ebeveyn reddi, algılanan eş reddi ile anlamlı derecede ilişkili
bulunmuştur.
Ebeveyn
reddi
aynı
zamanda
bütün
şema
alanları
(kopukluk/reddedilmişlik, zedelenmiş otonomi, zedelenmiş sınırlar, diğerleri
yönelimlilik ve yüksek standartlar) ile olumlu yönde bağlantılı bulunmuştur. Bunun
yanında, sonuçlara göre algılanan eş reddinin ise kopukluk/reddedilmişlik,
zedelenmiş otonomi ve yüksek standartlar şema alanları ile ilişkili olduğu
gösterilmiştir. Son olarak erken dönem uyumsuz şema alanlarının aracı rolünün
incelendiği analizlerde kopukluk/reddedilmişlik şema alanının çocuklukta hem
anneden hem de babadan algılanan red ile evlilikte eşten algılanan red arasında aracı
rol oynadığı gözlemlenmiştir. Bu bulgular var olan literatür ve konunun kuramsal
vi
kökenleri doğrultusunda tartışılmıştır. Sonrasında ise çalışmanın sınırlılıklarından ve
gelecek çalışmalar için önerilerden bahsedilmiş, çalışmanın klinik doğurguları ve
genel sonucu sunulmuştur.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Ebeveyn Kabul-Reddi, Eş Kabul-Reddi, Erken Dönem Uyumsuz
Şemalar.
vii
To my cats, the sources of joy in my life, Benek and Pati
viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To begin with, I want to thank my thesis supervisor Prof. Dr. Hürol Fışıloğlu. I
am grateful to him for accepting to be my supervisor, guiding me during the process
of building the topic of my thesis, and presenting critiques throughout the writing
process to improve my thesis further. In addition, I also owe a great deal of gratitude
to my supportive and inspiring thesis jury. Assist. Prof. Dilek Sarıtaş-Atalar not only
inspired me with her previous studies in the process of constructing my thesis
subject, but also helped me revise my thesis with her valuable and constructive
feedbacks in the jury. I am also thankful to her for giving me great ideas to enhance
this study for further publications. Assist. Prof. Emre Selçuk provided me new angles
to review my thesis topic with his eye-opening and creative questions throughout the
jury. His brilliant and out-of-the-box ideas about the thesis topic excited and inspired
me to conduct further enriched researches.
Moreover, I want to thank people that helped me in my thesis writing process.
Mehmet Fatih Bükün, thank you for helping with conducting a mediation analysis
with using Bootstrapping. Deniz Yılmaz, I am grateful to you that when I was having
problems with statistical analyses, you offered me your valuable assistance.
TÜBİTAK also deserves gratitude for providing me financial support in both
my undergraduate and graduate years.
Following, I am thankful to my great friends, who were by my side throughout
this process. Firstly, Mübeccel Yeniada, we have known each other for only six
months; however, in this short period, you were supportive in my stressful days and
pushed me to carry on and finish my thesis. In addition, Hacettepe days would be
unbearable without you, so thank you for your companionship. Secondly, Sedef
Tulum, we have gone through the same road in our thesis processes for two years.
From the beginning, we shared the ups and downs of this road with each other.
Besides, most importantly, I am grateful for your friendship in both undergraduate
and graduate years; we have collected so many beautiful memories and I will never
forget your moral support in these years. Thirdly, my dearest friend Ayperi Haspolat,
ix
everytime I felt down, was hopeless, and doubting myself finishing this thesis, you
gave constant emotional support and encouragement, and you were there for me
whenever I needed. Our weekly meetings were times to breath and relax for me
thanks to your comforting and warm friendship. You are an incredible and reliable
ally to have.
I would also like to serve my gratitude to my grandmother Nurcan Mavioğlu
and my aunt Nevin Mavioğlu. I am grateful to both of you for making me feel an
extra pair of protecting wings over me since my childhood. You have always backed
me up in my decisions, and whenever I needed your help, you magically appeared
near me.
Maybe the most important thanks for not only the thesis process but also my
whole life belong to my parents. My father, Osman Babuşcu, during this thesis
process, you put a great effort to help me gather participants, and really encouraged
me to trust my abilities to finish writing the thesis. Moreover, throughout my life,
even in times that we did not see eye-to-eye, you have always let me make my own
choices, and given the confidence that you will support me. My mother, Nevra
Babuşcu, also deserves a great deal of thanks for putting up with my stress,
nervousness, and gloominess during the whole thesis process. I could not have got
over this road without her constant caring and attention. Mother, I also thank you for
being next to me and being there for me throughout my life. I can always feel your
priceless support and affection for me.
Lastly, Mete Çınar, these two years were maybe the most difficult times of my
life. Yet, they are at the same time the happiest ones, thanks to you. I consider myself
as lucky for having such a supporting, loving, caring, trustable, and generous person
in my life. I cannot thank you enough for the support and encouragement you gave
me throughout this process; you made those difficult days to pass much easier. I love
you with all my heart.
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PLAGIARISM...........................................................................................................iii
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. iv
ÖZ ............................................................................................................................. vi
DEDICATION.........................................................................................................viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..........................................................................................ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... xi
LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................... xv
LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................... xvi
CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………1
1.1. Background of the Study…………………………………...……………1
1.2. Purpose of the Study……………………………………………………..7
1.2.1. Hypotheses and Research Question of the Study……………….…8
1.3. Significance and Implications of the Study……………………………...9
2. LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………...10
2.1.Parental Acceptance-Rejection………………………………………….10
2.1.1. Development of Parental Acceptance-Rejection Theory
Parental Acceptance-Rejection………………………………….10
2.1.2. Definition of Parental Acceptance-Rejection.............................11
2.1.3. Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Individual Variables………13
2.1.4. Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Relationship Variables……16
2.2.Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection…………………………………16
2.2.1. Definition of Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection…...……...16
2.2.2. Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection and Individual
Variables………………………………………………………...17
2.2.3. Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection and Relationship
Variables……………………………………………………...…19
2.3.Early Maladaptive Schemas……………………………………………..20
xi
2.3.1. Definition of Early Maladaptive Schemas……………………....20
2.3.2. Early Maladaptive Schemas and Individual Variables………….24
2.3.3. Early Maladaptive Schemas and Relationship Variables……….28
2.4. The Connection Between Literature Review and Purpose of the Study.29
3. METHOD…………………………………………………………………...30
3.1. Participants……………………………………………………………...30
3.2. Instruments……………………………………………………………...32
3.2.1. Adult Version of Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire
(PARQ)……………………………………………….…………32
3.2.2. Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire
(IPARQ)………………………………………………………...33
3.2.3. Young Schema Questionnaire – Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3)...…. 34
3.3. Procedure…………………………………………………………….....35
4. RESULTS…………………………………………………………………...36
4.1. Data Screening Prior to Analyses……………………………………....36
4.2. Descriptive Statistics of Study Variables…………….………………...36
4.3. Influences of Demographic Variables on Study Variables…………….37
4.4. Inter-Correlations among Measures of the Study………………………41
4.5. Mediation Analyses……………………………………………….……43
4.5.1. Mediator Role of Early Maladaptive Schema Domains between
Overall Maternal Rejection and Overall Intimate Partner
Rejection………………………………………………………...43
4.5.2. Mediator Role of Early Maladaptive Schema Domains between
Overall Paternal Rejection and Overall Intimate Partner
Rejection………………………………………………………...45
5. DISCUSSION……………………………………………………………….49
5.1. Evaluation of the Findings……………………………………………...49
5.1.1. Discussion of Findings Regarding the Relationship between
Demographic Variables and Study Variables…………………...49
5.1.1.1. Discussion of Findings Regarding the Relationship between
Demographic Variables and Parental Acceptancexii
Rejection…………………………………………………….49
5.1.1.2. Discussion of Findings Regarding the Relationship between
Demographic Variables and Intimate Partner AcceptanceRejection…………………………………………………….50
5.1.1.3. Discussion of Findings Regarding the Relationship between
Demographic Variables and Early Maladaptive Schemas….51
5.1.2.
Discussion of Findings Regarding Inter-Correlations among
Measures of the Study…………………………………………..52
5.1.2.1. Discussion of the Correlations between Parental Rejection
and Intimate Partner Rejection…….………………………..52
5.1.2.2. Discussion of the Correlations between Parental Rejection
and Early Maladaptive Schema Domains…………………...53
5.1.2.3. Discussion of the Correlations between Early Maladaptive
Schemas and Intimate Partner Rejection……………………55
5.1.3. Discussion of Mediating Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas in
the Relationship between Parental Acceptance-Rejection and
Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection…………………………56
5.2. Limitations of the Study and Recommendations for Future Research…59
5.3. Clinical Implications of the Study……………………………………...60
5.4. Conclusion……………………………………………………………...61
REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………...62
APPENDICES………………………………………………………………………70
A. INFORMED CONSENT FORM/GÖNÜLLÜ KATILIM FORMU…….70
B. DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FORM/DEMOGRAFİK BİLGİ
FORMU……………………………………………………………………..71
C. PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION
QUESTIONNAIRE/EBEVEYN KABUL-RED ÖLÇEĞİ………………….72
D. YOUNG SCHEMA QUESTIONNAIRE – SHORT FORM 3/YOUNG
ŞEMA ÖLÇEĞİ – KISA FORM 3………………………………………….75
E. INTIMATE PARTNER ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION
QUESTIONNAIRE/EŞ KABUL-RED ÖLÇEĞİ…………………………...80
xiii
F. TEZ FOTOKOPİSİ İZİN FORMU………………………………………83
G. TÜRKÇE ÖZET…………………………………………………………84
xiv
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of the Participants…………………………..31
Table 2. Means, Standard Deviations And Minimum-Maximum Scores of
Participants’ Ages and Length of Marriage………………………………..32
Table 3. Means, Standard Deviations, and Minimum-Maximum Scores of Study
Variables…………………………………………………………………...37
Table 4. Gender Influence on Overall Maternal Acceptance, Overall Paternal
Acceptance, and Overall Intimate Partner Acceptance………………..…..38
Table 5. Gender Influence on Early Maladaptive Schema Domains………………..39
Table 6. Correlation Coefficients among Age, Length of Marriage, and Study
Variables…………………………………………………………………...40
Table 7. Inter-correlations among Variables of the Study…………………………..42
xv
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Unstandardized Regression Coefficients for the Relationship between
Overall Maternal Rejection and Overall Intimate Partner Rejection,
Mediated by Early Maladaptive Schema Domains……………………...47
Figure 2. Unstandardized Regression Coefficients for the Relationship between
Overall Paternal Rejection and Overall Intimate Partner Rejection,
Mediated by Early Maladaptive Schema Domains…….………………..48
xvi
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, firstly the background of the study was presented. Secondly, the
purpose of the study, and hypotheses with following research questions were
mentioned. Thirdly, significance and implications of the present study were
presented.
1.1. Background of the Study
Many theoretical views (e.g. Freud, 1910; Bowlby, 1973; Rohner, 1986;
Young, 1999), despite of their different explanations, agree on the idea that
childhood experiences have various impacts on one’s adult life. Especially, with the
development of psychoanalytic theory (Freud, 1910), the role of parent-child
relationship on one’s psychological and social adjustment gained interest of both
researchers and clinicians. It has been stated that the child’s feelings of being loved
and accepted by his/her parents has a strong influence on psychological
development. Besides psychological adjustment, the parent-child relationship also
creates a role model for the child’s interpersonal relationships (Freud & Burlingham,
1944). Object Relations Theory (Klein, 1984) also mentions that the child
internalizes the experiences with his/her parents; consequently, this parent-child
relationship creates mental representations about interpersonal relationships,
influencing adulthood social interactions. These cognitive images of their mothers
and fathers influence intimate partner preferences and romantic relationships of the
individuals (Hendrix, 1990). Similarly, attachment theory (Bowlby, 1973) proposed
that the attachment style formed in childhood extends into adulthood and re-appears
in adulthood intimate relationships. According to this theory, adult romantic love is
also an attachment process, in which an emotional bond between adults is formed,
1
just like the bond between parent and child during childhood. Therefore, the way the
child attached to his/her parents shows itself in intimate relationships and affects
one’s emotions, expectations, and satisfaction accordingly (Hazan & Shaver, 1987).
One of the theories studying parent-child relationship and its correlates in
adulthood is Parental Acceptance-Rejection Theory (PARTheory) developed by
Rohner (1975, 1986). PARTheory is an evidence-based theory of life span
development and socialization, which aims to investigate the parental acceptancerejection’s role on individuals’ emotional, behavioral and social-cognitive
development, and psychological adjustment all around the world (Rohner, 1986).
Rohner (1986) defined parental acceptance-rejection as a dimension referring to the
quality of the affectional bond between the child and the parent. At the ¨acceptance¨
end, the child gets love, warmth, affection, and care from the parents while at the
¨rejection¨ end, there is lack of warmth, indifference, neglect, and aggression towards
the child. An important note is that the child’s subjective perceptions and feelings of
whether he/she was accepted or rejected by his/her parents are given much more
importance than objective behaviors of the parents when evaluating the emotional
bond in the parent-child relationship. Feeling accepted or rejected in childhood,
according to PARTheory, influences one’s personality dispositions, psychological
adjustment, and behavioral functioning not only in childhood but also in adulthood
persistently (Rohner, 1975). PARTheory proposes that the child develops mental
representations about the parent-child relationships, and these representations extend
into adulthood, shaping one’s emotional and socio-cultural development and
psychological adjustment (Rohner, 2004). Therefore, one of the purposes of
PARTheory is to examine childhood parental acceptance-rejection’s correlates in
adulthood (Rohner, 1986).
It is possible to mention some individual correlates of parental acceptancerejection according to literature. Besides links with demographic variables of gender
(e.g. Chyung & Lee, 2008; Kazarian, Moghnie, & Martin, 2010; Yakın, 2011) and
age (Khaleque & Rohner, 2002; Khaleque & Rohner, 2012), parental acceptancerejection’s connection with psychological adjustment, and maladaptive personality
constructs were investigated. Meta-analyses (Khaleque & Rohner, 2002; Rohner &
2
Khaleque, 2010; Khaleque & Rohner, 2012) including the studies investigating this
topic revealed that adults’ remembrances of parental acceptance-rejection in their
childhood is associated with their psychological adjustment in adulthood crossculturally. In addition, parental rejection was also found to be related several specific
mental health issues such as depression (Heller, 1996; Yakın, 2011; Sarıtaş-Atalar &
Gençöz, in press), anxiety (Yakın, 2011; Sarıtaş-Atalar & Gençöz, in press)
substance abuse (Gray, 1997), and eating disorders (Dominy, 1997; Hoppe-Rooney,
2004). Furthermore, studies examining parental acceptance-rejection’s relationship
with some maladaptive personality constructs in the literature concluded that
perceived rejection from parents is correlated with pessimistic attribution to life
(Heller, 1996), lower self esteem (Arenson-Kemp, 1995), higher neuroticism,
perfectionism, and more external locus of control (Yakın, 2011).
Besides individual correlates, PARTheory postulates that the quality of the
bond between the child and his/her parents influences his/her interpersonal
relationships as well, especially intimate relationships in adulthood (Rohner, 1986;
Rohner, 2004). Therefore, the link between parental acceptance-rejection and
relationship satisfaction was also a focused topic. Results revealed that remembered
rejection from parents is connected to lower intimate relationship satisfaction in
adulthood (Yalçınkaya, 1997; Varan, 2005; Eryavuz, 2006).
Later on in PARTheory, in 1999, Rohner stated that not only rejection from
parents but also rejection from any attachment figure, especially intimate partner, in
any time of life has detrimental effects on one’s psychological and social adjustment
(as cited in Rohner, 2008). Rohner (2001) defines “intimate partner acceptancerejection” as one’s subjective perception and feeling of being loved or rejected by
his/her partner, similarly with parental acceptance-rejection. With Rohner (2001)’s
development of Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection/Control Questionnaire,
intimate partner acceptance/rejection started to be a research topic of interest.
To date, connection between partner acceptance-rejection and psychological
adjustment has been an examined issue. Results generally concluded that for both
men and women that more accepting the individuals perceived their partners to be,
more psychologically adjusted they were (Ripoll-Nuñez & Alvarez, 2008; Varan et
3
al., 2008; Parmar & Rohner, 2008; Parmar et al., 2008; Chyung & Lee, 2008).
However, some studies in different cultures resulted in differences regarding gender.
In Khaleque, Rohner, and Laukkala (2008)’s study among Finnish adults and
Rohner, Uddin, Shamsunnaher and Khaleque (2008)’s study among Japanese
university students, only women’s partner acceptance-rejection was related with their
psychological adjustment, not men’s.
Besides psychological adjustment, perceived partner rejection’s role in
relationships was also investigated. Varan (2005), Eryavuz (2006), and Karpat
(2010) examined how perceived partner acceptance-rejection levels differentiate
according to the satisfaction in relationship. Results revealed that respondents who
were unsatisfied with their relationships reported more rejection from their partners
than individuals with satisfied relationships reported.
Intimate partner acceptance-rejection’s relationship with parental acceptance
rejection, is an investigated topic across various cultures. Results revealed a
significance relationship between remembered rejection from parents and perceived
rejection from intimate partner (Varan, 2005; Eryavuz, 2006; Chyung & Lee, 2008;
Parmar & Rohner, 2008; Parmar, Ibrahim, & Rohner, 2008, Rohner, Melendez, &
Kraimer-Rickaby, 2008; Varan et al., 2008). This result in literature can be
considered as an indicator of PARTheory’s proposed continuity of childhood
parental acceptance-rejection into adulthood relationship with intimate partner.
As mentioned above, the extension of parental acceptance-rejection in
childhood to the adulthood experiences and intimate relationships in adulthood is
explained by mental representations in PARTheory (Rohner, 1986). Children who
perceive rejection by their parents develop distorted mental representations of self,
significant others and the world. These representations influence both the quality of
the relationship and how one perceives his/her partner’s acceptance of him/her
(Rohner, 2004). Hence, what are these mental representations and how do they result
in this continuity from childhood to adulthood?
Schema Theory and Early Maladaptive Schemas can be addressed to elaborate
these mental representations. Schema Theory postulates that every human being,
universally, has five core emotional needs namely; 1) secure attachment to others, 2)
4
autonomy, competence and sense of identity, 3) freedom to express valid needs and
emotions, 4) spontaneity and play, 5) realistic limits and self-control. One’s toxic
childhood experiences, which clashes with his/her innate temperament frustrate these
basic needs, and results in the formation of early maladaptive schemas. Early
maladaptive schemas are defined as extremely stable and enduring, self-destructive
emotional and cognitive patterns, built up during early childhood (Young, Kolosko,
& Weishaar, 2003). These schemas are carried by the individual throughout his/her
lifetime, and crucially maladaptive. Experiences through the lifespan are processed
by using these schemas as cognitive prototypes, determining one’s emotions,
cognitions, behaviors and bonds with others in adulthood (Young, 1999), as distorted
mental representations’ role mentioned in PARTheory. The model describes 18
schemas that are grouped into five categories of unmet emotional needs that are
called “schema domains” (Young et al., 2003): (1) disconnection and rejection
(abandonment
/
instability,
mistrust
/
abuse,
emotional
deprivation,
defectiveness/shame, social isolation/alienation); (2) impaired autonomy and
performance (dependence / incompetence, vulnerability to harm or illness,
enmeshment / undeveloped self, failure); (3) impaired limits (entitlement /
grandiosity, insufficient self-control / self discipline); (4) other-directedness
(subjugation,
self-sacrifice,
approval
seeking
/
recognition
seeking);
(5)
overvigilance and inhibition (negativity / pessimism, emotional inhibition,
unrelenting standards/hypercriticalness, and punitiveness).
According to the Schema Model, early maladaptive schemas develop when the
core emotional needs in early childhood are not met; therefore, parenting has a strong
role in formation of early maladaptive schemas (Young et al., 2003). Several studies
(Harris & Curtin, 2002; Cecero, Nelson & Gillie, 2004; Thimm, 2010a; Gök, 2012;
Ünal, 2012; Sarıtaş-Atalar & Gençöz, in press) also revealed that negative parenting
practices are associated with higher early maladaptive schemas in individuals.
Consequently, the Schema Model suggests that child’s negative experiences due to
parenting forms early maladaptive schemas, which results in problems in one’s
adulthood psychological functioning (Young et al., 2003). Studies investigating
schemas’ link with some mental health topics stated that higher early maladaptive
5
schemas is correlated to depression (Harris & Curtin, 2002), anxiety disorders
(Camara & Calvete, 2012; Kim, Lee, & Lee, 2014), posttraumatic stress disorder
(Cockram, Drummond, & Lee, 2010), and personality disorders (Jovev & Jackson,
2004; Gilbert & Daffern, 2013).
Additionally, because of their rigid and self-confirming nature, early
maladaptive schemas are also considered to be significantly related with
interpersonal problems, linked especially with close relationships in adulthood. If an
individual’s early core needs are not met, which leads to the formation of early
maladaptive schemas, dysfunctional intimate relationship functioning may develop
in adulthood (Young & Gluhoski, 1997). Previous research contributing to this
model by investigating the connection between early maladaptive schemas and
constructs related with romantic relationships, found that higher early maladaptive
schema scores are associated with lower intimacy levels (Stiles, 2004), higher
jealousy scores (Göral-Alkan, 2010), higher susceptibility to divorce (Yoosefi,
Etemadi, Bahrami, Al-sadat Fatehizade & Ahmadi, 2010) and lower relationship
satisfaction (Freeman, 1998; Göral-Alkan, 2010; Dumitrescu & Rusu, 2012).
Schema Model explains the connection between early maladaptive schemas
and negative relationship constructs with the term “schema chemistry”: Because of
schemas’ self-confirming nature, individuals choose partners that will perpetuate
their early maladaptive schemas, which results in poor relationship functioning
(Young et al., 2003). Specifically, partners’ own relationship patterns results in
schema clashes and maladaptive cycles, which in turn reinforce and activate each
partner’s schemas. In addition, these maladaptive cycles are mostly triggered by the
activation of partners’ early maladaptive schemas and emotional pathways of
childhood unmet needs of stability, safety, nurturance, love and belonging (Atkinson,
2012). Therefore, early maladaptive schemas may be an explanatory factor of mental
representations’ role in the continuity mechanism of remembered parental rejection
in childhood to perceived rejection from intimate partner.
6
1.2. Purpose of the Study
Until now, earlier research in literature mostly focused on testing the
universality of PARTheory’s hypothesis stating that experiences in childhood create
consequences extending into the adulthood (Varan, 2005). Besides perceived
childhood parental acceptance-rejection’s link with adulthood psychological
adjustment (Khaleque & Rohner, 2002a; Rohner & Khaleque, 2010; Khaleque &
Rohner, 2012), remembered rejection from parents in childhood and perceived
rejection from intimate partner in adulthood close relationships was also revealed to
be connected (Varan, 2005, Eryavuz, 2006, Chyung & Lee, 2008; Parmar & Rohner,
2008; Parmar, Ibrahim, & Rohner, 2008, Rohner, Melendez, & Kraimer-Rickaby,
2008, Varan, et al., 2008) PARTheory (Rohner, 1986) explains this assumed
continuity of rejection in childhood into adulthood by mental representations, formed
in childhood, about oneself, others, and the world. These mental representations’
mediating role in the continuity of maternal acceptance-rejection into psychological
adjustment in adulthood was found to be significant (Sarıtaş-Atalar & Gençöz, in
press). Yet, there is no research investigating the role of mental representations in the
relationship between perceived acceptance-rejection from parents in childhood and
perceived intimate partner rejection in adulthood. Because cognitive constructs about
self and others possibly have an influencing role in the relationship between past
experiences with parents and present experiences in close relationships, there is a
need for more evidence for how parental relationships are related to the relationship
with intimate partners, and how individuals’ mental representations mediate this
relationship (Parker, Barrett & Hickie, 1992). By studying the mediating role of early
maladaptive schema domains, rigid and persistent mental structures formed in early
years of life and continue throughout the lifespan, in the link between parental
acceptance-rejection and partner acceptance-rejection, present study aimed to fill this
gap in the literature.
Furthermore, the connections of early maladaptive schemas with some
relationship constructs such as intimacy (Stiles, 2004), divorce (Yoosefi et al., 2010),
jealousy (Göral-Alkan, 2010), and relationship satisfaction (Göral-Alkan, 2010,
7
Dumitrescu & Rusu, 2012) were displayed. Still, their link with individuals
perception that whether their emotional needs are met or unmet by their partners was
not examined. Hence, the study also aimed to investigate this connection, as well. An
important point to highlight is that the current study used schema domains rather
than separate early maladaptive schemas. The reason for this preference is that
because early maladaptive schemas contain common characteristics such as negative
beliefs about self or others, it is redundant to examine separate schemas, and more
useful to reduce them to higher-order schema domains (Hoffart et al., 2005).
To sum up, in the light of existing literature, current study aimed to investigate
the relationship among parental acceptance-rejection, intimate partner acceptancerejection, and early maladaptive schema domains. More specifically, the study’s
purpose was to examine the mediating role of early maladaptive schema domains in
the relationship between remembered parental acceptance-rejection and perceived
intimate partner acceptance-rejection among Turkish married individuals.
1.2.1. Hypotheses and Research Question of the Study
Examining the relationship among parental acceptance-rejection, intimate
partner acceptance-rejection and early maladaptive schemas for married individuals,
it was hypothesized that;
1)
Higher parental rejection would be related to higher rejection from
intimate partner.
2) Higher parental rejection would be related to higher scores in early
maladaptive schema domains.
3) Higher intimate partner rejection would be related to higher scores in
early maladaptive schema domains.
4) Early maladaptive schema domains would mediate the relationship
between parental acceptance-rejection and intimate partner acceptancerejection.

Higher remembered rejection from parents would predict higher
scores in early maladaptive schema domains, which would in turn
8
predict higher perceived intimate partner rejection.
In addition, the study also aimed to answer the following research question;

Which early maladaptive schema domains have a mediating role
in the relationship between remembered parental acceptancerejection and perceived intimate partner acceptance-rejection in
married individuals?
1.3.Significance and Implications of the Study
This is the first study in the literature to examine the mediating role of early
maladaptive schemas in the relationship between remembered parental acceptancerejection and perceived intimate partner acceptance-rejection. Although both
PARTheory and Schema Model proposed that extension of childhood relationships
with parents into adulthood close relationships occur through maladaptive cognitive
structures formed by negative experiences with parents in early years, no study tested
their role in this suggested continuity. Therefore, present study aimed to fill this gap
in the literature. Moreover, the knowledge about early maladaptive schema domains’
role in intimate relationships is limited, and their connection to intimate partner
acceptance-rejection is unknown. Hence, by investigating schema domains’ link with
perceived rejection from intimate partners among married individuals for the first
time, present study enhanced the knowledge about the role of early maladaptive
schema domains in marriage.
Current study also presented implications for both theoreticians and clinicians
by bringing more light to how married individuals’ perceived acceptance or rejection
from their partners is linked to their past experiences with their parents and their
cognitive constructs. In other words, this research opened a way for understanding
one’s current experiences with his/her intimate partner through looking both at
childhood relationships with parents and
at one’s dysfunctional mental
representations. Furthermore, revealing how and which schema domains play a role
in this continuity between past and present, clinicians can investigate and offer
specific treatments to heal these schemas in marriage, helping married individuals
break maladaptive cyclic behaviors related to their relationship problems.
9
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
In this section, literature regarding current study variables (Parental
Acceptance-Rejection,
Intimate
Partner
Acceptance-Rejection,
and
Early
Maladaptive Schemas) was reviewed in detail. After defining the variables of the
study, their related individual and relationship variables were evaluated through
earlier studies. Lastly, the connection between literature and purpose of the study
was elaborated.
2.1. Parental Acceptance-Rejection
2.1.1. Development of Parental Acceptance-Rejection Theory
Parental Acceptance-Rejection Theory (PARTheory) (Rohner, 1975, 1986) is
an evidence-based theory of socialization and lifespan development aiming to
explain and predict main predecessors, associates, and consequences of parental
acceptance-rejection all around the world. This theory asserts that individuals all
around the world have a need to get affection from people who are significant to
them. According to this fundamental assumption of the theory, this need for affection
is present for whole humanity, independently from any restrictive condition such as
culture, race, physical appearance, social status, language and geography (Rohner,
1975).
In 1999, the PARTheory’s paradigm and focus shifted from parental
acceptance-rejection to interpersonal acceptance-rejection (Rohner, Khaleque, &
Cournoyer, 2012). Initially, the central hypothesis of the PARTheory was that
perceived parental acceptance-rejection is related to one’s personality dispositions.
The revised version postulates that these personality dispositions are associated with
not only parental acceptance-rejection, but also acceptance or rejection by an
10
attachment figure at any point of life. Consequently, interpersonal acceptancerejection, including parental acceptance-rejection, peer and sibling acceptancerejection, intimate partner acceptance-rejection, and acceptance-rejection in other
attachment relationships are present all through the lifespan. Nevertheless, the name
PARTheory is continued to be used because of it’s widely recognition internationally
(Rohner et al., 2012).
PARTheory is divided into three complementary subtheories namely;
personality subtheory, coping subtheory, and sociocultural systems subtheory.
“Personality subtheory attempts to predict and explain major personality or
psychological— especially mental health-related— consequences of perceived
parental acceptance–rejection in childhood and adulthood” (Rohner, 2004, p. 831).
According to personality subtheory, rejection from not only parents’ but also any
other attachment figure leads to seven specific maladaptive psychological and
personality outcomes, including 1) hostility-aggression, 2) dependence, 3) low selfesteem, 4) low self-adequacy, 5) emotional unresponsiveness, 6) emotional
instability, and 7) negative worldview. Coping subtheory, on the other hand, attempts
to investigate on how and why some children and adults do not show psychological
dysfunction despite the fact that they experience/experienced rejection from their
significant others (Rohner, 2004; Rohner et al., 2012). Finally, sociocultural systems
subtheory struggles to answer the question that “In what way is the total fabric of a
society as well as the behavior and beliefs of individuals within that society (e.g.,
people’s religious beliefs and artistic preferences) affected by the fact that most
parents in the society tend to either accept or reject their children?” (Rohner, 2004,
p.831). From these subtheories, so far, the most studied and evaluated is the
personality subtheory while there is not enough research to investigate the latter two
theories’ postulates and questions (Khaleque & Rohner, 2012; Rohner et al., 2012).
2.1.2. Definition of Parental Acceptance-Rejection
As mentioned above, fundamental assumption of PARTheory is that all
humans have a need to get affection and warmth from their significant others
11
(Rohner, 1975). Every human being experienced more or less warmth and love
throughout their childhood by their caregivers (mostly from their mothers and
fathers). According to PARTheory, this warmth and love from parents to child can
be evaluated with a continuum; at the one end of the continuum, there is parental
acceptance, and at the other end, there is parental rejection (Rohner, 1986).
Parental acceptance means warmth, affection, nurturance, support, concern,
love etc. Parents show their acceptance to their child by physical expressions,
including behaviors such as hugging, caressing, kissing, smiling. In addition, verbal
expressions, including behaviors like saying nice things about the child,
complimenting, singing or telling stories to the child, can be reflections of parental
acceptance (Rohner, 1986; Rohner et al., 2012).
What is meant by parental rejection, on the other hand, is nonexistence or
significant withdrawal of acceptance feelings and behaviors, but presence of
behaviors and emotions that are physically and psychologically upsetting for the
child (Rohner et al., 2012). According to Rohner (1986), parents can be rejecting to
the child by behaving in any combination of these four ways: 1) cold and
unaffectionate, 2) hostile and aggressive, 3) indifferent and neglecting and 4)
undifferentiated rejecting. When parents are cold and unaffectionate towards their
child, they withhold their love, warmth and affection from their child. Rejecting the
child by hostile and aggressive way includes the feelings of anger, resentment,
hostility, and hate all of which generally results in aggressive behaviors. Parents can
be physically aggressive by behaviors such as hitting, pushing, pinching the child, or
throwing things to him/her, or verbally aggressive by cursing, mocking, shouting,
saying sarcastic, thoughtless or humiliating things to the child etc. When parents are
indifferent and neglecting, they are unavailable both physically and psychologically,
paying no attention to the child’s needs. Neglecting the child can be a result of
parents’ feelings of indifference, or feelings of anger towards the child. Parents
feeling angry towards the child can be neglecting because they do not want to cause
harm due to their anger. Undifferentiated rejection occurs when there is no overt
indicator of rejection; however, the child feels he/she is rejected and not loved or
wanted. While differentiated rejection can show itself objectively by aggressive or
12
neglecting behaviors, or subjectively by feelings of anger, hostility or indifference, in
undifferentiated rejection, there is no behavioral sign of neglect, coldness, or
aggression, yet the child believes that his/her parents do not really love them or care
about them (Rohner, 1986).
In PARTheory, rather than the actual behaviors of the parents, the focus is on
how the individual perceives, remembers, interprets and explains the experiences
with his/her parents because parents’ effects on the child are shaped through the
child’s inner and perceptual processes. In addition, because the way parents show
their warmth or rejection can change according to different cultures, focusing on the
emotions of the child rather than parents’ behaviors allows cross-cultural empirical
studies without any ethnic limitations (Rohner et al., 2012).
2.1.3. Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Individual Variables
The first individual correlate of parental acceptance-rejection to evaluate is
gender. Although many studies do not reveal the result of gender differences in
scores of parental acceptance-rejection (Khaleque & Rohner, 2012), differences
according to gender of the parent or gender of the offspring can be mentioned for
some findings. Both meta-analyses by Khaleque and Rohner (2002), and Rohner and
Khaleque (2010) found no significant difference according to either the gender of the
offspring or the gender of the parent. On the other hand, according to Chyung and
Lee (2008)’s study among Korean young adults, Rohner, Uddin, Shamsunnaher and
Khaleque (2008)’s study among Japanese adults, and Kazarian et al. (2010)’s study
among Lebanese individuals, although there is no difference of gender in perceived
maternal warmth or rejection, men evaluated their fathers to be less accepting and
more rejecting than women.
Investigating gender differences in Turkish studies (Varan, 2005; Eryavuz,
2006; Işık, 2010; Yakın, 2011) also revealed various outcomes. Varan (2005) in his
study stated no significant difference in terms of parental acceptance-rejection
according to either the gender of the offspring or the gender of the parents. Eryavuz
(2006)’s study also revealed no difference in parental acceptance-rejection scores
13
according to the gender of the offspring; however, when the gender of the parent is
concerned, participants perceived their fathers to be more rejecting than their
mothers. According to both Işık (2010)’s and Yakın (2011)’s studies among
university students, on the other hand, although there is no difference of gender in
perceived maternal warmth or rejection, men evaluated their fathers to be less
accepting and more rejecting than women.
Another demographic variable linked with parental acceptance-rejection
besides gender is age. Perceived parental acceptance-rejection levels are found to be
differentiating between younger and older individuals according to meta-analyses
(Khaleque & Rohner, 2002; Khaleque & Rohner, 2012) involving the studies in the
area. Both the meta-analysis of Khaleque and Rohner conducted in 2002 including
43 studies worldwide and the meta-analysis of Khaleque and Rohner conducted in
2012 including 66 studies worldwide concluded that adult participants’ evaluation of
their parents’ acceptance or rejection levels are weaker than children and
adolescents. In order to explain this discrepancy, it has been stated that because as
the age increase and one transitions into adulthood, individuals’ various life
experiences with various people increase, experiences with their parents are not as
strong as it was in their younger ages (Khaleque & Rohner, 2002; Khaleque &
Rohner, 2012). However, in Turkey, Yakın (2011) resulted that among university
students, age did not significantly correlated with perceived parental rejection.
An important individual factor revealed to be related with parental acceptancerejection is psychological adjustment. According to the meta analysis of Khaleque
and Rohner conducted in 2002, involving 43 studies worldwide, the meta analysis of
Rohner and Khaleque conducted in 2010, involving 17 studies from 13 nations, and
the meta analysis carried out by Khaleque and Rohner in 2012, involving 66 studies
from 22 countries, it was concluded that there is no sample across the world that
failed to emerge the hypothesized connection between psychological adjustment, as
defined in the personality subtheory, and parental acceptance-rejection. Accordingly,
perceived rejection from either mother or father during childhood is connected to
psychological maladjustment for both children and adults universally (Rohner et al.,
2012).
14
Additionally, it is possible to mention parental rejection’s connection with
specific mental health issues, as well. Heller (1996)’s study among adolescents
concluded that perceived parental rejection predicts higher levels of depressive
symptomatology. Moreover, the study of Gray (1997) reported that perceived
rejection from parents was related to increased levels of substance abuse. Dominy
(1997) investigated the relationship between binge eating disorder and parental
acceptance-rejection, and revealed that obese women with binge eating disorder
reported more paternal rejection than women with no eating disorder. Hoppe-Rooney
(2004) also investigated disordered eating among university students. The results
showed that individuals with disordered eating habits had greater maternal and
paternal rejection scores than ones with no disordered eating.
Parental acceptance-rejection’s connection with psychological well-being was
also examined by Turkish studies (Sarıtaş, 2007; Yakın, 2011; Sarıtaş-Atalar &
Gençöz, in press). Sarıtaş (2007)’s study examining the relationship between
maternal acceptance-rejection and psychological distress of Turkish adolescents
concluded that perceived maternal rejection was linked with higher depression,
higher trait anger, and higher trait anxiety. In addition, Yakın (2011)’s study among
Turkish university students resulted that higher parental rejection predicts higher
depression, higher trait anxiety and higher trait anger. Lastly, Sarıtaş-Atalar and
Gençöz (in press) examined maternal acceptance-rejection’s role in psychological
well-being and found that maternal rejection was connected with higher depressive
symptomatology and higher trait anxiety.
Moreover, parental acceptance-rejection’s relationship with some maladaptive
personality constructs is also a studied topic. Heller (1996)’s study concluded that
parental rejection predicts more pessimistic attribution to life. In addition, the study
of Arenson-Kemp (1995) stated that higher remembrance of parental rejection was
correlated to lower self-esteem. In Turkey, Yakın (2011) also examined the
relationship between maladaptive personality constructs and parental acceptancerejection. In her study, Yakın (2011) reveled that remembered rejection from parents
is connected with higher neuroticism, perfectionism, and more external locus of
control.
15
2.1.4. Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Relationship Variables
Marital status is the first relationship variable of parental acceptance-rejection
to evaluate. Studies from Turkey (Varan, 2005; Eryavuz, 2006) examining the
connection between individuals’ marital status and their perceived parentalacceptance rejection resulted in different outcomes. Varan (2005)’s study among
Turkish adults resulted in no difference in parental acceptance between married and
dating participants. Eryavuz (2006)’s findings, on the other hand, yielded that
married individuals reported to be having more rejecting mothers than dating
individuals.
The other relationship correlate of parental acceptance-rejection is relationship
satisfaction. Meth (1999)’s study concluded that men’s, but not women’s,
remembrances of parental acceptance in childhood was correlated with relationship
satisfaction in their adulthood, meaning that as remembered parental acceptance of
men increases, they report being more satisfied in their intimate relationships. In
Turkey, both Varan (2005)’s and Eryavuz (2006)’s studies reveled that individuals
perceiving their parents as more accepting and less rejecting experienced higher
relationship satisfaction. On the other hand, Yalcinkaya (1997)’s study among
Turkish married women reached the conclusion that only paternal, not maternal,
acceptance is related with higher relationship satisfaction.
2.2. Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection
2.2.1. Definition of Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection
In 1999, Rohner postulated that not only parental rejection in childhood but
also rejection by an attachment figure at any point in life span results in maladaptive
psychological outcomes. Accordingly, PARTheory experienced a paradigm shift
from studying parental acceptance-rejection to investigating interpersonal
acceptance-rejection. Consequently, acceptance-rejection from one’s intimate partner
16
started to be a topic to study among PARTheory researchers (as cited in Rohner,
2008, p. 6).
Similar to parental acceptance-rejection, in intimate partner acceptancerejection, the quality of emotional bond between the partners is evaluated through a
bipolar continuum named as the warmth dimension. At the one end of this
dimension, there is intimate partner acceptance, and at the other end there is intimate
partner rejection. Acceptance end includes partner’s positive expressions of warmth
such as affection, love, caring, support, and comfort. In the same way defined for
parental acceptance-rejection, a rejecting partner would be cold and unaffectionate,
indifferent and neglecting, or hostile and aggressive towards the other partner. In
addition, individuals can feel undifferentiated rejection from their partners, referring
to the belief that their partner does not really care about or love them, while there are
no clear objective behavioral indicators of rejection. Because in the theory it is
considered that all humans have a phylogenetically acquired needs for love, care,
comfort, support etc., from the people most significant for them, when these
emotional needs are not met from their intimate partner, individuals tend to develop
psychological and social maladjustments, likewise in the situation of parental
rejection. Therefore, PARTheory also focuses on investigating correlates of intimate
partner acceptance-rejection (Rohner, 2008).
2.2.2. Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection and Individual Variables
The first individual associate of intimate partner acceptance-rejection to
investigate is gender. Ripoll-Nuñez and Alvarez (2008)’s study among Colombian
and Puerto Rican youths, examining the gender correlates of intimate partner
acceptance-rejection, found no gender difference in perception of acceptancerejection from the partner However, the study of Chyung and Lee (2008), studying
Korean College students, reached to a different conclusion, stating that women
perceived their partners more accepting than men perceive theirs. In three Turkish
studies (Varan, 2005; Eryavuz, 2006; Varan et al., 2008), examining gender
differences in intimate partner acceptance-rejection among individuals in a romantic
17
relationship, no difference between men and women in perceived rejection from
intimate partner was reported.
Intimate partner acceptance-rejection’s relationship with psychological
adjustment is another examined subject in PARTheory. Intimate partner acceptance
rejection, generally, has been found to be significantly correlated with psychological
adjustment for both men and women; meaning that the more men or women
perceived their partners as rejecting, the lower their psychological adjustment
becomes (Parmar & Rohner, 2005; Chyung & Lee, 2008; Parmar & Rohner, 2008;
Parmar, Ibrahim, & Rohner, 2008; Ripoll-Nuñez & Alvarez, 2008; Rohner,
Melendez, & Kraimer-Rickaby, 2008; Rohner et al., 2008). On the contrary, gender
differences in the link between intimate partner rejection and psychological
adjustment can be stated according to some findings. For instance, Khaleque et al.
(2008)’s study among Finnish adults and Rohner et al. (2008)’s study among
Japanese adults concluded that women’s, but not men’s, psychological adjustment
was correlated with their partner’s acceptance-rejection. When studies in Turkey are
evaluated, both Eryavuz (2006)’s and Varan et al. (2008)’s study among individuals
in intimate relationships concluded that, for both men and women, intimate partner
acceptance-rejection is related to psychological adjustment. Gültekin (2011)’s study
among Turkish young adults demonstrated that men’s, but not women’s,
psychological adjustment was related to their partner’s acceptance-rejection.
Intimate partner acceptance-rejection’s relationship with parental acceptancerejection is also a highly researched topic across various cultures. Chyung and Lee
(2008)’s study among Korean college students with ongoing romantic relationships,
Parmar and Rohner (2008)’s research among Indian married adults, and Parmar,
Ibrahim, and Rohner (2008)’s study among married individuals from Kuwait all
concluded that remembered childhood parental acceptance-rejection was related to
intimate partner acceptance-rejection, meaning that as the remembered parental
rejection levels increased, perceived intimate partner rejection levels also increased.
On the other hand, both Rohner, Melendez, and Kraimer-Rickaby (2008)’s study
among American adults and Ripoll-Nunez and Alvarez (2008)’s study among
Colombian and Puerto Rican adults reported that while women’s intimate partner
18
rejection was associated with both parents’ rejection, men’s partner rejection was
related only to their fathers’ rejection. Khaleque et al. (2008)’s study among Finnish
adults also reached a significant relationship between intimate partner rejection and
both parents’ rejection for women; however, reporting no link for either mother or
father rejection and men’s partner rejection. In Turkey, Varan (2005)’s, Eryavuz
(2006)’s, Varan et al. (2008)’s, and Karpat (2010)’s studies reported that
remembered rejection from either mother or father in childhood was significantly
related with perceived rejection from intimate partner.
2.2.3. Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection and Relationship Variables
A relationship factor influencing perceived intimate partner acceptancerejection is marital status. In Turkey, the study of Varan (2005)’s and Eryavuz
(2006)’s study among couples demonstrated that dating individuals reported higher
acceptance and lower rejection from their partners than married individuals did.
Eryavuz (2006)’s research also investigated the gender difference in this connection,
and concluded that while men’s perception of their partners did not changed
significantly according to their marital status, married women reported more
rejection from their partners than women in a dating relationship did. Moreover,
while men reported more rejection from their partners than women among dating
individuals, when married respondents are concerned, women perceived their
partners to be more rejecting than men did.
Relationship satisfaction is other relationship variable found to be linked with
intimate partner acceptance-rejection. Examining perceived intimate partner
acceptance-rejection’s connection with relationship satisfaction; three studies from
Turkey (Varan, 2005; Eryavuz, 2006; Karpat, 2010) compared perceived partner
acceptance-rejection levels of individuals satisfied with their relationships and
individuals unsatisfied with their relationships. All of these studies came to the
conclusion that respondents who were unsatisfied with their relationships reported
more rejection from their partners than individuals with satisfied relationships
reported.
19
2.3. Early Maladaptive Schemas
2.3.1. Definition of Early Maladaptive Schemas
The term ¨schema¨ is originated from the data processing theory, stating that
schemas are cognitive frameworks helping people to organize and interpret
information and from one’s early years; experiences are accumulated in
autobiographic memory through the way of schemas (Conway & Pleydell-Pearce,
2000). People understand, interpret and order their experiences and the world around
them through the glasses of their established schemas, sometimes excluding
information that does not conform to their pre-existing mental frameworks, which
may result in a distorted point of view of the reality (Edwards & Arntz, 2012).
According to Young (1999), some of these schemas, especially ones formed as a
result of early negative experiences, might be at the core of psychological
dysfunctions; therefore, he produced the term early maladaptive schemas.
Early Maladaptive Schemas are self-destructive emotional and cognitive
patterns that are extremely firm, repetitive and persistent, constructed during
childhood or adolescence. These schemas include memories, emotions, cognitions,
and bodily sensations, elaborated and carried by the individual throughout his/her
lifespan, and dysfunctional to a significant degree (Young et al., 2003). Future
experience is processed by using these schemas as templates (Young, 1999).
The Schema Model states that, early maladaptive schemas develop when their
core emotional needs are not met in their childhood (Young, 1990; Young et al.,
2003). These core emotional needs are named as; 1) secure attachment to others
(including security, stability, care and acceptance), 2) autonomy, competence and
sense of identity, 3) realistic limits and self-control, 4) freedom to express one’s
needs and emotions, and 5) spontaneity and play. In the Schema Model, there are 18
early maladaptive schemas, each grouped into five schema domains representing the
unmet core emotional needs (Young et al., 2003). These five schema domains and
consisting schemas are defined in detail below:
20
Disconnection and Rejection schema domain refers to an insecure and
unsatisfying attachment to other people. Individuals with schemas in this domain
believe that others are unstable and untrustworthy, and their emotional needs for
care, affection, acceptance, empathy and security will remain unmet. This schema
domain often includes most damaged individuals with traumatic, toxic experiences in
childhood and self-destructive, unsatisfying relationships in adulthood. In addition,
typically these individuals own parents or caregivers that are cold, rejecting,
unpredictable
or
abusive.
abandonment/instability,
defectiveness/shame
This
2)
domain
includes
mistrust/abuse,
and
5)
social
3)
the
schemas
emotional
isolation.
of
1)
deprivation,
4)
While
people
with
abandonment/instability schemas expect that their significant others will not remain
to provide support, love or connection because they are not stable, in mistrust/abuse
schema, individuals predict that they will get hurt, deceived, abused, embarrassed or
used by others. People with emotional deprivation schema, on the other hand,
assume that others will never sufficiently satisfy their emotional needs for
nurturance, empathy or protection. When defectiveness/shame schema is dominant,
one thinks and feels that he/she is unlovable, bad, unwanted, inferior, flawed etc.,
including high reaction to criticism, comparisons, rejection and blame, and shame of
one’s supposed flaws. Lastly, people with high social isolation schema perceive
themselves as being different and isolated from others, and not belonging to a group
or a community (Young et al., 2003).
People with schemas in Impaired Autonomy and Performance domain perceive
themselves as unable to survive or function autonomously and perform effectively.
These individuals’ families are typically enmeshed, overprotective and undermining
the
child’s
competencies
dependence/incompetence,
outside
2)
the
vulnerability
family.
to
Schemas
harm
or
of
1)
illness,
3)
enmeshment/undeveloped self, and 4) failure compose this domain. People with
dependence/incompetence schema perceive themselves as incompetent to cope with
everyday responsibilities on their own. Ones with vulnerability to harm or illness
schema excessively fear that they will encounter an unexpected catastrophe (medical,
emotional
or
external)
that
21
they
cannot
prevent
or
handle.
When
enmeshment/undeveloped schema is prominent, one cannot fully individuate but
involve with or get close to one’s significant others excessively. One also feels that
without the enmeshed relationship with their significant others, he/she will not
survive or be happy. The failure schema refers to the belief that one is unable to be
successful, untalented and have lower status compared to others; therefore, has been
inadequate and will always fail and be unsuccessful (Young et al., 2003).
Impaired Limits schema domain refers to low internal limits and orientation to
long-term goals, inadequate respect to and cooperation with others. People in this
schema domain typically have families that are excessively tolerant and
overindulgent lacking direction, guidance and boundary setting. This schema domain
consists of 1) entitlement/grandiosity and 2) insufficient self-control/self-discipline
schemas. With the entitlement/grandiosity schema, one feels and believes that he/she
is superior to others and has privileged rights. In order to gain power and control, one
thinks it is possible to do whatever he/she wants without realistic or reasonable
consideration without empathy or concern for others’ needs or feelings. Individuals
with insufficient self-control/self-discipline have difficulties in practicing necessary
self-control and tolerance to frustration, and limiting their impulses or emotions to
accomplish their goals (Young et al., 2003).
Another schema domain is Other-Directedness, meaning that at the cost of
one’s own needs and feelings, people with this schema domain focuses extremely on
others’ desires, responses and expectations in other to gain their love and approval.
Conditional acceptance is dominant in their family of origin, expecting that the child
must suppress his/her own needs or feelings to get the approval and love of others,
valuing the social acceptance and status more than the child’s emotions and desires.
Schemas in this domain are 1) subjugation, 2) self-sacrifice, and 3) approvalseeking/recognition-seeking. The schema subjugation involves the belief that one’s
own needs or emotions are not important to others, so he/she excessively gives
control to others because of feeling trapped and pressurized, and avoiding anger,
retaliation and rejection. On the other hand, individuals with self-sacrifice schema
voluntarily focus on others’ needs at the expense of their own desires in order to
prevent causing harm to others, avert feelings of selfishness, and sustain the
22
connection with others. Lastly, people with high approval-seeking/recognitionseeking schema give extreme significance to gaining approval, appreciation, or
attentiveness from others, at the cost of individuated, true sense of self. Other than
their own natural dispositions, the individuals’ self-esteem depends on the reaction of
others, motivated to improve their social status, appearance, acceptance, income or
achievements (Young et al., 2003).
The last schema domain in the Schema Model is Overvigilance and Inhibition.
Individuals in this domain focus extremely on following rigid, internalized rules
about the “right” performance or the “right” behavior so that they inhibit their
spontaneous emotions, desires and preferences, and neglect their gratification,
relaxation, close relationships and well-being. People with this schema domain
typically have parents that are demanding, rigid and punitive, overly emphasizing the
importance of performance, responsibilities, suppressing emotions, obeying rules and
avoiding mistakes. This domain includes 1) negativity/pessimism, 2) emotional
inhibition, 3) unrelenting standards/hypercriticalness, and 4) punitiveness schemas.
Negativity/pessimism refers to the exaggerated emphasis on negative aspects of life
and the expectation that thing will ultimately go wrong and their life will fall apart,
which leads to the fear of making any mistakes because of catastrophizing their
outcomes. People with emotional inhibition schema suppress their feelings (negative
emotions or positive impulses) and give importance to rationality over emotions in
order to avoid disapproval, feeling shameful or losing control of their urges. When
unrelenting standards/hypercriticalness is prominent, one believes that meeting high
standards of performance is essential to avoid criticism, resulting in feeling
pressured, being critical toward self and others, and neglecting pleasure, health,
satisfying relationships. People with this schema are characterized by perfectionism,
strict rules, and fixation on competence. Lastly, the punitiveness schema is defined
as the principle that mistakes should result in harsh punishment, having no room for
human imperfection or empathy. People with this schema tend to be intolerant and
punitive towards self and others when their expectations and standards are not met
faultlessly (Young et al., 2003).
23
2.3.2. Early Maladaptive Schemas and Individual Variables
Differences in early maladaptive schema scores were firstly examined in terms
of gender. Gender difference among early maladaptive schemas was investigated by
various studies (Stiles, 2004; Alfasfos, 2009; Shorey, Anderson, & Stuart, 2012;
Camara & Calvete, 2012). Firstly, in the study of Alfasfos (2009) among Palestinian
young adults, women have been found to be having more early maladaptive schemas
than men in 11 out of the 18 schemas namely; emotional deprivation, failure,
vulnerability to harm and illness, enmeshment, subjugation, self-sacrifice, approvalseeking,
negativity/pessimism,
punitiveness,
abandonment/instability,
and
unrelenting standards. The study of Shorey et al. (2012) in USA also revealed that
women presented more early maladaptive schemas than men, outscoring in 14
schemas namely; emotional deprivation, abandonment, mistrust/abuse, social
isolation, defectiveness/shame, failure, dependence/incompetence, vulnerability to
harm and illness, enmeshment, insufficient self-control, self-sacrifice, approval
seeking, and negativity/pessimism. In Camara and Calvete (2012)’s study among
Spanish university students, women expressed higher schema scores than men in
abandonment/instability and failure schemas while men had higher scores in
emotional deprivation schema. On the other hand, the study of Stiles (2004) among
university students involved in a romantic relationship found gender difference only
for the entitlement schema, men scoring higher than women. Gender difference in
early maladaptive schema domains was also investigated in Turkey. Dissimilarly
with the findings above, both Gök (2012) and Ünal (2012) found that among Turkish
university students, males reported higher scores in Disconnection/Rejection schema
domain than females.
Another individual variable whose connection with early maladaptive schemas
was studied is attachment styles. Simard, Moss, and Pascuzza (2011) conducted a
15-year longitudinal study that investigated the relationship among childhood
attachment styles, adulthood attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas.
According to the outcomes, it was stated that children who showed ambivalent
24
attachment style at the age of 6 had more schema scores in adulthood than ones with
secure childhood attachment style in the early maladaptive schemas of emotional
deprivation, abandonment/instability, mistrust/abuse, defectiveness/shame, failure,
enmeshment, subjugation, self-sacrifice, emotional inhibition, approval seeking, and
punitiveness. The study (Simard et al., 2011) also revealed that participants who
showed characteristics of preoccupied attachment style at the age of 21 had higher
schema scores than their peers with secure attachment style in the schemas of
abandonment/instability, mistrust/abuse, social isolation, defectiveness/shame,
failure, dependence/incompetence, vulnerability to harm and illness, subjugation,
insufficient self-control, negativity/pessimism.
Furthermore, personality traits can be mentioned as another individual
correlate of early maladaptive schemas. Thimm (2010b) investigated early
maladaptive schemas’ link with personality according to the big five personality
traits. It was demonstrated that the personality trait of neuroticism was related to the
higher scores in the schemas of mistrust/abuse, abandonment/instability, social
isolation, defectiveness/shame, failure, dependence/incompetence, vulnerability to
harm and illness, approval-seeking, unrelenting standards, enmeshment/undeveloped
self, insufficient self-control, subjugation, negativity/pessimism, and punitiveness.
The study (Thimm, 2010b) also revealed the schema connections with other
personality traits: extraversion with lower social isolation and emotional inhibition,
agreeableness
with
lower
insufficient
self-control
and
entitlement,
and
conscientiousness with higher unrelenting standards and lower insufficient selfcontrol. In Turkey, Ünal (2012)’s study among university students also investigated
the relationship between early maladaptive schema domains and big five personality
traits. According to the study, it was concluded that neuroticism was related to higher
impaired limits/exaggerated standards, extraversion was connected with lower
disconnection/rejection
and
higher
impaired
limits/exaggerated
standards,
conscientiousness was linked with lower disconnection/rejection, and openness to
experience
was
correlated
with
lower
disconnection/rejection,
impaired
autonomy/other directedness and higher impaired limits/exaggerated standards.
Early maladaptive schemas’ relationship with mental health has also been
25
studied in terms of various psychological disorders. While as a result of the study
conducted by Harris and Curtin (2002) among university students, depressive
symptomology was found to be associated with defectiveness/shame, vulnerability to
harm and illness, insufficient self-control, and incompetence schemas, Camara and
Calvete (2012)’s study revealed that only emotional deprivation schema was related
to depression. When schemas’ link with anxiety was investigated, Camara and
Calvete (2012) found that higher scores in vulnerability to harm and illness and
dependence schemas were related to an increase in anxiety level. Another study by
Pinto-Gouveia, Castilho, Galhardo, and Cunha (2006) investigating early
maladaptive schemas relationship with anxiety disorders concluded that individuals
with social phobia had higher early maladaptive schema scores than people with
panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder, whose schema scores were higher
than participants’ with no psychological condition. Cockram et al. (2010) studied
early maladaptive schemas’ connection with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
among Vietnam veterans. Veterans with PTSD diagnosis got higher scores than nondiagnosed veterans in the schemas of vulnerability to harm and illness, emotional
inhibition,
social
isolation,
insufficient
self-control,
mistrust/abuse,
negativity/pessimism, and abandonment. In addition, obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD)’s link with early maladaptive schemas was investigated in the study of Kim,
Lee, and Lee (2014) and resulted that individuals with OCD had higher schema
scores than non-clinical participants in defectiveness/shame, social isolation, and
failure schemas. Lastly, examining how early maladaptive schemas are related to
personality disorders, Jovev and Jackson (2004) revealed that while borderline
personality disorder was related to higher dependency, abandonment/instability, and
subjugation schemas, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder linked with
unrelenting standards schema, and avoidant personality disorder was associated with
abandonment/instability and subjugation schemas. Moreover, Gilbert and Daffern
(2013) studied offenders with personality disorders and their related schemas and
concluded that offenders with borderline personality disorder had higher scores in
the schema domains of disconnection/rejection, impaired autonomy, impaired limits,
and overvigilance whereas offenders with antisocial personality disorders had
26
prominent schema domains of impaired limits, disconnection/rejection, and impaired
autonomy.
The connection between early maladaptive schemas and psychological
wellbeing has been investigated in Turkey, as well. The study conducted by
Lapsekili and Ak (2012) among patients with unipolar and bipolar depression
revealed that the schemas of defectiveness/shame, incompetence, failure,
undeveloped self, and vulnerability to harm and illness were related to low selfperception. Gök (2012) investigated early maladaptive schemas’ link with depression
among university students, and found that disconnection/rejection and impaired
autonomy/other
directedness
schema
domains
predicted
higher
depressive
symptomatology. Moreover, the study of Eldoğan (2012) resulted that individuals
with high social phobia symptoms had higher scores in the schema domains of
disconnection/rejection, impaired limits, and impaired autonomy.
Lastly, the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and parental
acceptance-rejection will be mentioned. Thimm (2010a)’s study among individuals
with personality disorders revealed that while paternal rejection was correlated to all
of the five schema domains, maternal rejection was linked to all schema domains but
impaired limits. In Turkey, the study of Sarıtaş (2007) among adolescents revealed
that maternal acceptance-rejection was related to all schema domains. However,
similarly with Thimm (2010a)’s study, Sarıtaş-Atalar and Gençöz (in press)’s study
investigating the relationship among university students’ maternal acceptancerejection, early maladaptive schemas, and psychological adjustment revealed that
maternal rejection was associated with all schema domains except impaired
limits/exaggerated standards. The study conducted by Sarıtaş-Atalar and Gençöz
(2014) additionally investigated the mediating role of schema domains in the
relationship between maternal rejection and psychological adjustment. Results
demonstrated that impaired autonomy-other directedness and disconnection/rejection
schema domains mediated the relationship between maternal rejection and anxiety.
On the other hand, the association between maternal rejection and depression was
only mediated by impaired autonomy-other directedness domain. These results of
Sarıtaş-Atalar and Gençöz (in press) indicated the important role of cognitive
27
structures in the link between childhood parental relationships and adulthood
psychological adjustment.
2.3.3. Early Maladaptive Schemas and Relationship Variables
When relationship variables of early maladaptive schemas are concerned,
intimacy in close relationships can be evaluated, to begin with. Stiles (2004)
examined early maladaptive schemas’ role in relationship intimacy. It was reported
that
higher
scores
in
defectiveness/shame,
emotional
deprivation,
abandonment/instability, and entitlement schemas predicted lower relationship
intimacy. On the other hand, interestingly, unrelenting standards schema was found
to be related with higher relationship intimacy levels.
Besides intimacy, relationship satisfaction is another variable related with early
maladaptive schemas. Dumitrescu and Rusu (2012)’s study showed that
abandonment/instability,
emotional
deprivation,
defectiveness/shame,
social
isolation, dependence/incompetence, vulnerability to harm or illness, subjugation,
self sacrifice, approval seeking, pessimism predicted lower relationship satisfaction.
However, Freeman’s (1998) study among married individuals reported that the
schemas of emotional deprivation, abandonment/instability, social isolation,
subjugation and defectiveness/shame predicted lower levels of marital satisfaction
for only women, not men.
Another relationship construct of early maladaptive schemas to assess is
romantic jealousy. Dobrenski (2001)’s study of early maladaptive schemas’
connection with a relationship romantic jealousy concluded that as early maladaptive
schema scores increase, jealousy level in romantic relationships increases. When
results were examined in terms of specific schemas, higher scores in
abandonment/instability, defectiveness/shame, and subjugation schemas linked with
higher jealousy levels.
Schemas’ predictive role on divorce is also an examined topic. Yoosefi et al.’s
(2010) study found that as early maladaptive schema scores increased, the
susceptibility to divorce also increased. Moreover, specific schemas’ connection with
28
divorce was also examined in the study. The results revealed that participants with
higher abandonment/instability, mistrust/abuse, defectiveness/shame, and emotional
deprivation schemas were more susceptible to divorce (2010).
Finally, relationship variables of early maladaptive schemas were also studied
in Turkey. The study of Gök (2012) among Turkish university students examined the
differences among schema domain scores in terms of relationship status of the
participants. According to the results, single participants reflected higher early
maladaptive schema scores. More specifically, single participants’ scores in
disconnection/rejection and impaired autonomy/other directedness schema domains
were higher than romantically involved participants. The study conducted by GöralAlkan (2010) among 178 cohabiting couples revealed that the schema domains of
“unrelenting standards” and “impaired autonomy” predicted higher romantic
jealousy scores. Moreover, as a result of the same study (Göral-Alkan, 2010), it was
stated that the schema domain of disconnection/rejection was related to lower levels
of relationship satisfaction.
2.4. The Connection between Variables of the Study and Purpose of the Study
The review of the literature demonstrates that individuals’ perceived intimate
partner acceptance-rejection is related to remembered parental acceptance-rejection
in childhood. Hence, continuity of remembered parental acceptance-rejection in
childhood to perceived acceptance-rejection from the intimate partner can be
suggested. Although both PARTheory and Schema Model propose that extension of
childhood relationships with parents into adulthood close relationships occur through
cognitive structures formed in childhood, no study up to this point tested their role in
this suggested continuity. Therefore, present study aims to investigate the
relationship remembered rejection from parents and perceived rejection from
intimate partner, and the mediator role of maladaptive schema domains in this
relationship among Turkish married individuals.
29
CHAPTER III
METHOD
In this section, firstly, characteristics of the participants in the study were
presented. Secondly, instruments used in the study were elaborated in terms of their
content and psychometric properties. Thirdly, the procedure of data gathering and
data analysis was described.
3.1. Participants
A total of 228 individuals participated in the study. Purposive sampling method
was used in order to gather only married individuals. 39.9 % (N = 91) of the sample
were females and 60.1% (N = 137) of them were males. Participants were between
the ages of 23 to 75 (M = 41.71, SD = 13.26). All participants were married. The
participants’ length of marriage changed between 0.16 years (2 months) to 53 years
(M = 15.22, SD = 13.17). A great majority, 95.6 % (N = 218), of the participants
reported that their current marriage is their first marriage. 3.1 % (N = 7) of them
answered that they are in their second marriage, and 1.3 % (N = 3) were in their third
marriage.
Most of the participants with the ratio of 64.9 % (N = 148) had university or 2year higher education degree. 19.3 % (N = 44) of them had graduate education, and
14.9 % (N = 34) of them were high school graduates. The participants included only
one individual (0.4 %) with primary school degree, and one individual (0.4 %) with
elementary school degree. When the participants were asked where had they mostly
lived in through their lifespan, 45.2 % (N = 103) of them reported they had mostly
lived in a metropolitan city, 43.9 % (N = 100) of them answered ¨city¨, 9.6 % (N =
22) mostly lived in a town, and 1.3 % (N = 3) of participants reported that they had
mostly lived in a village.
71.5 % (N = 163) of the participants reported that they had a child/children.
%52.1 (N = 85) of the participants who are parents had 2 children, 38.7 % (N = 63)
30
had one child, 7.3 % (N = 12) had 3 children, and 1.9 % (N = 3) had 4 children. 28.5
% (N = 65) of total participants reported that they did not have any children.
Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of the Participants
Variables
N (228 participants)
%
Gender
Total: 228
Female
91
39.9
Male
137
60.1
Education Level
Total: 228
Primary School
1
0.4
Elementary School
1
0.4
High School
34
14.9
University/2-year Higher
148
64.9
44
19.3
Education
Graduate Education
Residence Mostly Lived in Total: 228
Village
3
1.3
Town
22
9.6
City
100
43.9
Metropolitan City
103
45.2
Parenthood Status
Total: 228
Yes
163
71.5
No
65
28.5
Number of Children
Total: 163
1
63
38.7
2
85
52.1
3
12
7.3
4
3
1.9
Number of Marriage
Total: 228
1
218
95.6
2
7
3.1
3
3
1.3
31
Table 2. Means, Standard Deviations and Minimum-Maximum Scores of
Participants’ Ages and Length of Marriage
Variables
M
SD
Minimum-Maximum
Age
41.71
13.26
23-75
Length of
15.22
13.17
0.16-53
marriage (years)
3.2. Instruments
After presenting the informed consent form (see Appendix A), a demographic
data form was administered to participants for gathering information of gender, age,
education level, residence, length and number of their marriage, parenthood status
and number of their children (see Appendix B). In order to get the information
regarding measures of the study, participants filled out three different questionnaires
namely Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) (filled out both
mother and father separately), Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire
(IPARQ), and Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3).
3.2.1. Adult Version of Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ)
In order to measure remembered childhood experiences with parents and their
consequences as acceptance-rejection levels, adult version for Parental AcceptanceRejection Questionnaire (PARQ) was developed by Rohner, Saavedra, and Granum
in 1978 (as cited in Rohner & Khaeque, 2005). The questionnaire has mother and
father forms, each consisting the same 60 items, rated on a 4-point likert-type scale
from (1) almost never true to (4) almost always true. Participants are instructed to
consider their early years of life, and when assessing the relationship between them
and their parents (see Appendix C).
Originally, the scale consists of four subscales namely 1) warmth/affection, 2)
aggression/hostility, 3) neglect/indifference, and 4) undifferentiated rejection. After
32
reverse coding all items of warmth/affection subscale and seven items of
neglect/indifference subscale, all scores are summed up for overall rejection score,
ranging from 60 to 240. Higher overall score from the questionnaire indicates greater
rejection. Rohner and Khaleque (2002) investigated the psychometric properties of
the scales. Coefficient alphas of the scale were found to be ranging from .86 and .95.
In addition, the test-retest reliability of the scale was .93.
Turkish adaptation of the PARQ was conducted by Varan (2003) among both
clinical and nonclinical samples including 1700 people between the ages of 17 and
78. According to the results, coefficient alphas for four subscales of both mother and
father scales were found to be ranging from .86 to .96. Moreover, the overall
internal consistency of the scale was .97. In the Turkish adapted scale, two factors
were found namely ¨acceptance¨ and ¨rejection¨, the correlation score between them
being .55. Therefore, it can be inferred that ¨acceptance¨ and ¨rejection¨ are not two
completely different factors, but two ends of the same dimension.
3.2.2. Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (IPARQ)
Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire, developed by Rohner in
2001, aims to measure one’s perceived acceptance or rejection from his/her intimate
partner. The questionnaire is 60-item 4-point likert-type scale, which includes the
same items as PARQ’s but referring to one’s intimate partner instead of the mother
or the father. The scoring is ranged from (1) almost never true to (4) almost always
true (see Appendix D). Similar to PARQ, the overall score can be ranged from 60 to
240, higher scores indicating greater rejection. Rohner (2001)’s study evaluating the
psychometric qualities of the scale in USA revealed that IPARQ is a reliable and
valid questionnaire.
Turkish adaptation, and reliability and validity measurement of the scale was
conducted by Varan in 2003. The scale’s adaptation study was conducted with 1700
people, ages ranging from 17 to 78, including both clinical and non-clinical samples.
The overall internal consistency Cronbach alpha score of the scale was found to be
.97. According to the factor analysis, in Turkish adaptation, two factors were found
33
namely ¨acceptance¨ and ¨rejection¨. According to the results, the IPARQ was found
to be a reliable and valid scale, measuring acceptance-rejection from the intimate
partner in Turkey (Varan, 2003).
3.2.3. Young Schema Questionnaire – Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3)
In order to assess early maladaptive schemas, Young Schema Questionnaire –
Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3) was used in the study. The original long form of the scale
consisted of 205 items measuring 16 schemas (Schmidt, Joiner, Young, & Telch,
1995). Young (1990) developed a short version of that form, consisting of 75 items
assessing 15 schemas. This scale of YSQ-SF3 measures 18 early maladaptive
schemas, grouped into five domains with 90 items (Young, 1999; Young et al.,
2003). The scale is a 6-point likert-type scale ranging from (1) completely untrue to
(6) it describes me perfectly (see Appendix E). Studies investigating the
psychometric qualities of the scale found that the scale high test-retest reliability and
internal consistency values. (Schmidt et al.,1995).
Turkish adaptation of YSQ-SF3 was conducted by Soygüt, Karaosmanoğlu,
and Çakır (2009) among university students. According to this study, 14 factors of
early maladaptive schemas, grouping into original five schema domains, were found.
The five schema domains were namely; 1) disconnection/rejection (emotional
deprivation, abandonment, defectiveness, and social isolation/mistrust schemas), 2)
impaired
autonomy
and
enmeshment/dependence,
performance
and
failure
(vulnerability
to
schemas),
3)
harm
or
illness,
impaired
limits
(entitlement/insufficient self-control schema), 4) other directedness (self-sacrifice,
and approval seeking schemas), and 5) unrelenting standards (pessimism, emotional
inhibition, unrelenting standards, and punishment schemas). The Turkish adaptation
preserved the 90-item, 6-point likert-type structure of the scale.
Assessing the reliability and the validity of YSQ-SF3, Soygüt et al. (2009)
found that test-retest reliability values ranged from .66 to .83 for five schema
domains, and ranged from .66 to .88 for early maladaptive schemas. Moreover,
internal consistency Cronbach alpha coefficients were found to be ranging from .53
34
to .81 for schema domains, and ranging from .63 to .80 for early maladaptive
schemas.
Convergent validity measurement of the scale was also conducted by Soygüt et
al. (2009), using Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R)’s subscales. YSQSF3’s schema domains were revealed to be having significant convergent validity
with depression subscale (for schema domains ranging between r = .55 - .68, p <
.01), anxiety subscale (for schema domains ranging between r = .18 - .54, p < .01),
and interpersonal sensitivity subscale (for schema domains ranging between r = .20 .60, p < .01).
3.3. Procedure
Before gathering data from participants, the required permission for research
with human participants was taken from The Applied Ethics Research Center of
Middle East Technical University. Then, an online survey was developed on
www.surveymonkey.com consisted of demographic information form, and scales of
the study measures. Participants were gathered through snowball sampling by asking
them to invite their married friends or relatives to participate in the study in order to
reach more married individuals. Individuals who agreed to participate in the study
signed an informed consent form before they were presented scales of the measures.
Statistical analyses of gathered data was conducted via Statistical Package for
the Social Sciences (SPSS). After data cleaning, descriptive analyses of demographic
variables and study variables were conducted. While gender differences for measures
of the study were examined through one-way ANOVAs and MANOVA,
participants’ ages’ and length of the marriage’s relationship with study variables
were tested by using bivariate correlations. Later on, a zero-order correlation analysis
was conducted in order to evaluate the relationship among measures of the study.
Lastly, in order to investigate schema domains’ mediator role in the relationship
between parental (maternal and paternal) rejection and intimate partner rejection,
mediation analyses via Bootstrap sampling method were employed.
35
CHAPTER IV
RESULTS
In this section, data screening and descriptive statistics of study variables were
presented, to begin with. Following, influences of demographic variables on study
variables were stated. After displaying inter-correlations among study variables,
results of mediation analyses were given finally.
4.1. Data Screening Prior to Analyses
All variables were examined for accuracy of data entry, outliers,
multicollinearity, normality, and linearity. Six univariate outliers with extreme z
scores, and three multivariate outliers identified through Mahalonobis distance were
deleted. Therefore, 228 cases remained for main analyses. Afterwards, normality
assumption, controlling skewness and kurtosis values for all variables, and linearity
assumption, through normal and detrended probability plots were checked. Lastly
multicollinearity assumption was tested through controlling the tolerance and VIF in
linear regression analysis. All variables’ tolerance and VIF scores were in the normal
range; therefore, no multicollinearity was detected among variables.
4.2. Descriptive Statistics of Study Variables
For Maternal Acceptance-Rejection, Paternal Acceptance-Rejection, and
Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection, after required reverse scoring, sum of all
scores were calculated to reach the overall rejection scores of mother, father, and
intimate partner. On the other hand, for Schema Domains, mean scores of each five
domain (disconnection/rejection, impaired autonomy/performance, impaired limits,
other directedness, and unrelenting standards) were used in the analysis. As can be
seen in Table 3, means, standard deviations, and minimum-maximum score ranges
36
were calculated for descriptive information of study variables.
Table 3. Means, Standard Deviations, and Minimum-Maximum Scores of
Study Variables.
Variables
M
SD
MinimumMaximum
Parental AcceptanceRejection
Overall Maternal
100.40
29.72
64-202
104.76
28.39
67-211
93.15
25.95
63-168.27
Disconnection/Rejection 1.82
0.61
1.00-3.52
Impaired Autonomy and 1.87
0.65
1.00-3.95
Rejection
Overall Paternal
Rejection
Intimate Partner
Acceptance-Rejection
Overall Intimate Partner
Rejection
Early Maladaptive
Schema Domains
Performance
Impaired Limits
3.20
0.94
1.00-5.57
Other Directedness
3.28
0.82
1.18-5.27
Unrelenting Standards
2.76
0.68
1.11-4.48
4.3. Influences of Demographic Variables on Study Variables
To begin with, gender differences in maternal, paternal, and intimate partner
rejection scores were examined through separate one-way ANOVAs. Afterwards, in
order to investigate gender influence on early maladaptive schema domains,
37
Multivariate Analysis (MANOVA) was conducted. Lastly, relationships between
study variables and demographic variables of age and length of marriage were
assessed through Pearson Correlation analyses.
In order to examine gender difference for Maternal Acceptance-Rejection,
Paternal Acceptance-Rejection and Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection three
separate one-way ANOVA’s were conducted. As can be seen in table 4, results did
not reveal a significant main effect of gender on neither Overall Maternal Rejection
[F(1,226) = 0.18, p > .05] nor Overall Intimate Partner Rejection [F(1,226) = 3.12, p
> .05]. On the other hand, gender was found to be having a significant main effect
on Overall Paternal Rejection [F(1,226) = 6.58, p < .05] (see Table 4). When each
gender’s means were compared, males (M = 108.64) scored significantly higher on
Overall Father Rejection than females (M = 98.91). In other words, males perceived
higher rejection from their fathers than females did.
Table 4. Gender Influence on Overall Maternal Acceptance, Overall
Paternal Acceptance, and Overall Intimate Partner Acceptance
Variables
df
F
η
2
Overall Maternal
1,226
.18
.00
1,226
6.58*
.02
1,226
3.12
.01
Rejection
Overall Paternal
Rejection
Overall Intimate
Partner Rejection
*p < .05
The gender differences for five schema domains were measured by using
Multivariate Analysis. As can be seen in Table 5, MANOVA results displayed a
significant main effect for gender on Early Maladaptive Schemas [Multivariate
F(5,222) = 4.72, p < .001; Wilk’s Lambda = .90; partial η2 = .09]. Following,
univariate analyses were conducted for significant main effect of gender on Schema
Domains with application of Bonferroni adjustment. Alpha values lower than .01
38
(i.e. .05/5) were considered significant. Results revealed a significant main effect of
gender only on the schema domain of Disconnection/Rejection [F(1,226) = 6.80, p <
.01, partial η2 = .02] (see Table 5). When gender’s means are compared, males (M =
1.91) revealed significantly higher disconnection/rejection schema domain scores
than females (M = 1.70). On the other hand, according to univariate analyses, gender
main effects on Impaired Autonomy and Performance Domain [F(1,226) = 0.43, p >
.01, partial η2 = .002], Impaired Limits Domain [F(1,226) = 0.11, p > .01, partial η2
= .001], Other Directedness Domain [F(1,226) = 1.57, p> .01, partial η2 = .007], and
Unrelenting Standards Domain [F(1,226) = 3.43, p > .01, partial η2 = .01] were not
significant (see Table 5)
-
-
1,226
-
6.80*
.02
I.A.
-
-
1,226
-
.43
.00
I.L.
-
-
1,226
-
.11
.00
O.D.
-
-
1,226
-
1.57
.00
U.S.
-
-
1,226
-
3.43
.01
η
2
Univariate
D./R.
η
Univariate F
-
2
Multivariate
-
F
.09
Multivariate
5,222
Lambda
4.72***
Schema
Wilks’
.90
Variables
df
Table 5. Gender Influence on Early Maladaptive Schema Domains
Domains
***p < .001; *p < .01
Note. D./R.: Disconnection/Rejection, I.A.: Impaired Autonomy, I.L.: Impaired
Limits, O.D.: Other Directedness, U.S.: Unrelenting Standards
Measuring the relationship between participants’ ages and study variables were
conducted using Pearson Correlation analyses. According to the results, age was not
found to be significantly correlated to any of the study measures; Overall Maternal
Rejection [r = .11, p > .05], Overall Paternal Rejection [r = .02, p > .05], Overall
Intimate Partner Rejection [r = .13, p > .05], and Schema Domains of
39
Disconnection/Rejection [r = .02, p > .05], Impaired Autonomy and Performance [r
= -.05, p > .05], Impaired Limits [r = -.05, p > .05], Other Directedness [r = -.04, p>
.05], and Unrelenting Standards [r = .09, p > .05].
The length of the marriage’s relationship with study measures was also
examined by using Pearson Correlation analyses. The results revealed that the length
of the marriage was not significantly correlated to any of the study variables; Overall
Maternal Rejection [r = .07, p> .05], Overall Paternal Rejection [r = -.05, p> .05],
Overall Intimate Partner Rejection [r = .10, p> .05], and Schema Domains of
Disconnection/Rejection [r = -.04, p> .05], Impaired Autonomy and Performance [r
= -.12, p> .05], Impaired Limits [r = -.08, p> .05], Other Directedness [r = -.05, p>
.05], and Unrelenting Standards [r = .043, p> .05].
The relationship between demographic variables and dependent variable of the
study was not significant. Therefore, demographic variables were not included in
further analyses.
Table 6. Correlation Coefficients among Age, Length of Marriage, and Study
Variables.
Variables
Age
Length of Marriage
Overall Maternal
.11
.07
Overall Paternal Rejection
.02
-.05
Overall Intimate Partner
.13
.10
Disconnection/Rejection
.02
-.04
Impaired Autonomy
-.05
-.12
Impaired Limits
-.05
-.08
Other Directedness
-.04
-.05
Unrelenting Standards
.09
.04
Rejection
Rejection
40
4.4. Inter-Correlations among Study Variables
In order to evaluate relationships among the study variables of Overall
Maternal Rejection, Overall Paternal Rejection, Overall Intimate Partner Rejection,
and Early Maladaptive Schema Domains, bivariate Pearson Correlation analyses
were conducted. Correlations are given in Table 7.
As can be seen in Table 7, Overall Maternal Rejection was significantly
correlated to Overall Intimate Partner Rejection (r = .38, p < .001). Overall Paternal
Rejection was also significantly correlated to Overall Intimate Partner (r = .29, p <
.001). Therefore, it can be concluded that as remembered rejection in childhood from
either mother or father increased, perceived rejection from intimate partner also
increased, as hypothesized.
In addition, the results revealed a significant positive correlation between
Overall Maternal Rejection and all schema domains namely Disconnection/Rejection
(r = .47, p < .001), Impaired Autonomy and Performance (r = .43, p < .001),
Impaired Limits (r = .14, p < .05), Other Directedness (r = .20, p < .01), and
Unrelenting Standards (r = .30, p < .001). There were also significant positive
correlations between Overall Paternal Rejection and all Schema Domains namely
Disconnection/Rejection (r = .45, p < .001), Impaired Autonomy and Performance (r
= .42, p < .001), Impaired Limits (r = .15, p < .05), Other Directedness (r = .13, p <
.05), and Unrelenting Standards (r = .25, p < .001) (see Table 7). As a result, same as
hypothesized, when remembered rejection from mother or father escalated, early
maladaptive schema domain scores also escalated.
When schema domains’ correlation with overall intimate partner rejection is
concerned, the Pearson Correlation analyses showed that the schema domains of
Disconnection/Rejection (r = .50, p < .001), Impaired Autonomy and Performance (r
= .44, p < .001), and Unrelenting Standards (r = .21, p < .01) had significant positive
correlation with Overall Intimate Partner Rejection (see Table 7). In other words, as
the schema domain scores of Disconnection/Rejection, Impaired Autonomy and
Performance, or Unrelenting Standards increased, intimate partner rejection also
increased.
41
Table 7. Inter-correlations among Variables of the Study
Mother
Father
Mother
Father
Partner
D./R.
I. A.
I. L.
O. D.
U.S.
1
.50***
.38***
.47***
.43***
.14*
.20**
.30***
1
.29***
.45***
.42***
.15*
.13*
.25***
1
.50***
.44***
.05
.078
.21**
1
.80***
.31***
.30***
.61***
1
.29***
.38***
.58***
1
.37***
.53***
1
.21**
Partner
D./R.
42
I. A.
I. L.
O. D.
U.S.
1
***p < .001; **p < .01; *p < .05
Note. Mother: Overall Maternal Rejection, Father: Overall Paternal Rejection, Partner: Overall Intimate Partner Rejection,
D./R.: Disconnection/Rejection, I.A.: Impaired Autonomy, I.L.: Impaired Limits, O.D.: Other Directedness, U.S.:
Unrelenting Standards
4.5. Mediation Analyses
Aiming to test the hypothesis that early maladaptive schema domains would
mediate the relationship between parental (both maternal and paternal) acceptancerejection and intimate partner acceptance rejection in married individuals, mediation
analyses were conducted. Because it is suggested for more powerful and accurate
estimates, and allows employing a multiple mediator model, mediation analyses were
conducted by using Bootstrap sampling method (Preacher & Hayes, 2004), rather
than the traditional path analyses proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986). Analyses
were conducted via ¨indirect custom dialog¨ for SPSS (Preacher & Hayes, 2008),
which are present on the website www.afhayes.com.
In order to examine the significance of indirect effects in mediation model, by
Bootstrapped sampling, 5000 resamples were generated from the original data set,
and confidence intervals (CI) of the indirect effects were evaluated. Indirect effects
whose 95% CI did not include zero were considered to be statistically significant.
Two separate mediation analyses for the two predictors of the model, overall
maternal rejection and overall paternal rejection, were conducted. Criterion was
overall intimate partner rejection, and tested mediators were five schema domains
(disconnection/rejection, impaired autonomy, impaired limits, other directedness, and
unrelenting standards).
4.5.1. Mediator Role of Early Maladaptive Schema Domains between Overall
Maternal Rejection and Overall Intimate Partner Rejection
According to the results of mediation analysis through Bootstrapping method,
total effect (path c) of overall maternal rejection on overall intimate partner rejection
was significant (B = .33, SE = .05, p < .001). In other words, maternal rejection
significantly predicted rejection from intimate partner, meaning that married
individuals perceiving rejection from their mothers were more likely to perceive
rejection from their intimate partners. Additionally, overall maternal rejection
significantly predicted all schema domains namely; disconnection/rejection (path a1)
43
(B = .009, SE = .001, p < .001), impaired autonomy (path a2) (B = .009, SE = .001, p
< .001), impaired limits (path a3) (B = .004, SE = .002, p < .05), other directedness
(path a4) (B = .005, SE = .001, p < .01), and unrelenting standards (path a5) (B = .006,
SE = .001, p < .001). When direct effects of schema domains on intimate partner
rejection
(b
paths)
were
investigated,
results
revealed
that
only
disconnection/rejection schema domain had a significant direct effect on overall
intimate partner rejection (path b1) (B = 16.87, SE =4.42, p < .001). Other schema
domains; impaired autonomy (path b2) (B = 5.37, SE = 3.89, p > .05), impaired limits
(path b3) (B = -1.82, SE = 1.82, p > .05), other directedness (path b4) (B = -1.45, SE =
2.37, p > .05), and unrelenting standards (path b5) (B = -3.67, SE = 3.65, p > .05) did
not display a significant direct effect on overall intimate partner rejection. Moreover,
direct effect of overall maternal rejection on overall intimate partner rejection (path
c´) significant (B = .16, SE = .05, p < .01), indicating a partial mediation (See Figure
1).
In order to investigate whether Early Maladaptive Schema Domains mediated
the relationship between rejection from mother and rejection from intimate partner,
indirect effects were examined via Bootstrapping method. The indirect effect of
overall
maternal
rejection
on
intimate
partner
rejection
through
disconnection/rejection schema domain was significant because the confidence
interval did not include zero; B = .16, SE = .04, 95% CI [.07, .29]. On the other hand,
indirect effects of maternal rejection on intimate partner rejection through impaired
autonomy; B = .04, SE = .05, 95% CI [-.03, .15], impaired limits; B = -.008, SE =
.008, 95% CI [-.03, .004], other directedness; B = -.008, SE = .01, 95% CI [-.04, .01],
and unrelenting standards; B = -.02, SE = .02, 95% CI [-.07, .01] were not significant
since their confidence intervals included zero. In brief, only disconnection/rejection
schema domain partially mediated the relationship between maternal rejection and
intimate partner rejection. Lastly, the overall model explained 28% of the variance;
adjusted R2 = .28, F (6, 221) = 16.01, p < .001.
44
4.5.2. Mediator Role of Early Maladaptive Schema Domains between Overall
Paternal Rejection and Overall Intimate Partner Rejection
Mediation analysis through Bootstrap sampling method was conducted, and
paternal rejection’s total effect on intimate partner rejection (path c) was found to be
significant (B = .27, SE = .05, p < .001). In other words, paternal rejection
significantly predicted rejection from intimate partner, meaning that married
individuals perceiving rejection from their fathers were more likely to perceive
rejection from their intimate partners. Overall paternal rejection also had significant
direct effects on all schema domains namely; disconnection/rejection (path a1) (B =
.009, SE = .001, p < .001), impaired autonomy (path a2) (B = .009, SE = .001, p <
.001), impaired limits (path a3) (B = .005, SE = .002, p < .05), other directedness
(path a4) (B = .004, SE = .001, p < .05), and unrelenting standards (path a5) (B = .006,
SE = .001, p < .001). Moreover, direct effects of schema domains on intimate partner
rejection were examined. While it was found that disconnection/rejection had a
significant direct effect on rejection from intimate partner (path b1) (B = 18.73, SE =
4.47, p < .001), all the other schema domains; impaired autonomy (path b2) (B =
5.37, SE = 3.89, p > .05), impaired limits (path b3) (B = -1.82, SE = 1.82, p > .05),
other directedness (path b4) (B = -1.45, SE = 2.37, p > .05), and unrelenting standards
(path b5) (B = -3.67, SE = 3.65, p > .05) did not reveal a significant direct effect on
overall intimate partner rejection. In addition, direct effect of overall paternal
rejection on overall intimate partner rejection was not significant (path c´) (B = .06,
SE = .05, p > .05), indicating a full mediation (See Figure 2).
Mediation analysis through Bootstrapping method was used in order to
investigate whether schema domains mediated the relationship between parental
rejection and rejection from intimate partner. The indirect effect of overall paternal
rejection on intimate partner rejection through disconnection/rejection schema
domain was significant because the confidence interval did not include zero; B = .18,
SE = .05, 95% CI [.08, .32]. However, indirect effects of paternal rejection on
intimate partner rejection through impaired autonomy; B = .05, SE = .06, 95% CI [.03, .15], impaired limits; B = -.009, SE = .009, 95% CI [-.03, .003], other
45
directedness; B = -.004, SE = .01, 95% CI [-.03, .01], and unrelenting standards; B =
-.02, SE = .02, 95% CI [-.07, .01] were not significant since their confidence intervals
included zero. Therefore, only disconnection/rejection schema domain significantly
mediated the relationship between paternal rejection and intimate partner rejection.
Lastly, the overall model explained 26% of the variance; adjusted R2 = .26, F (6, 221)
= 14.41, p < .001
46
Disconnection/
Rejection
.009***
16.87***
Impaired
Autonomy
.009***
Overall
Maternal
Rejection
5.37
.16** (.33***)
.004*
Overall
Intimate
Partner
Rejection
-1.82
Impaired
Limits
.005**
.006***
Other
Directedness
-1.45
-3.67
Unrelenting
Standards
Figure 1. Unstandardized Regression Coefficients for the Relationship between
Overall Maternal Rejection and Overall Intimate Partner Rejection, Mediated by
Early Maladaptive Schema Domains
* p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
47
Disconnection/
Rejection
.009***
18.73***
Impaired
Autonomy
.009***
Overall
Paternal
Rejection
5.37
Overall
Intimate
Partner
Rejection
.06 (.27***)
.005*
-1.82
Impaired
Limits
.004*
.006***
-1.45
Other
Directedness
-3.67
Unrelenting
Standards
Figure 2. Unstandardized Regression Coefficients for the Relationship between
Overall Paternal Rejection and Overall Intimate Partner Rejection, Mediated by
Early Maladaptive Schema Domains
* p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
48
CHAPTER V
DISCUSSION
In this section, findings gained through statistical analyses were evaluated in
the light of both previous findings and theoretical views. Afterwards, limitations of
the study and recommendations for future research were presented. Finally, clinical
implications and general conclusion of the findings were stated.
5.1. Evaluation of the Findings
5.1.1 Discussion of Findings Regarding the Relationship between Demographic
Variables and Study Variables
5.1.1.1
Discussion
of
Findings
Regarding
the
Relationship
between
Demographic Variables and Parental Acceptance-Rejection
Firstly, findings regarding gender influence on parental rejection scores were
discussed. It was revealed that while gender did not have a significant effect on
maternal rejection, its’ influence on overall paternal rejection was significant. More
specifically, while there was no gender difference in rejection from mother, males
reported higher paternal rejection than females did. Although meta-analyses carried
out by Khaleque and Rohner (2002), and Rohner and Khaleque (2010) found no
significant gender difference, this finding is consistent with Chyung and Lee
(2008)’s study among Korean young adults, Rohner et al. (2008)’s study among
Japanese adults, and Kazarian et al. (2010)’s study among Lebanese individuals,
which also found that although there is no difference of gender in perceived maternal
warmth or rejection, men evaluated their fathers to be more rejecting than women
49
did. When Turkish studies are evaluated, Varan (2005) found no gender difference in
either maternal or paternal rejection. On the other hand, similarly with the finding of
the current study, both Işık (2010) and Yakın (2011) resulted that men perceived
higher rejection from their father than women did; however, there were no gender
difference for maternal rejection.
The fact that males perceiving themselves more rejected by their fathers than
females can be explained the discrepancies in gender-specific relationships between
parents and their offspring in Turkey. Turkish mothers are emotionally close and
expressive to both their daughters and sons. However, fathers communicate more
formally and rigidly towards their sons (Kiray, 1976) while being more emotionally
involved and tolerant to their daughters (Sunar, 2002). Although Turkish daughters
are more closely controlled and limited in their acts during childhood and
adolescence compared to sons (Ataca, 1992), for Turkish families control in
childrearing does not mean lack of warmth, like it does for Western cultures
(Kağıtçıbaşı & Sunar, 1992). Therefore, although they are given more autonomy and
independence in their actions, Turkish males perceive less emotional acceptance
from their fathers than females did.
According to findings, both age and length of marriage was not significantly
related to maternal or paternal rejection. This finding is consistent with Rohner
(1986)’s suggestion that damaging experiences and feelings of rejection in childhood
extends into adulthood, and remains stable. Therefore, it can be suggested that
throughout the adulthood, remembered parental rejection level from parents is fairly
persistent over time.
5.1.1.2.
Discussion
of
Findings
Regarding
the
Relationship
between
Demographic Variables and Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection.
The first demographic variable to evaluate in terms of intimate partner
rejection is gender. Results found no significant difference between males and
females in terms of perceived rejection from intimate partner. This finding is
consistent with Ripoll-Nuñez and Alvarez (2008)’s study among Colombian and
50
Puerto Rican individuals, and Turkish studies conducted by Varan (2005), Eryüksel
(2006), and Varan et al. (2008), which all found no gender difference in perceived
intimate partner rejection. Only Chyung and Lee (2008)’s study among Korean
college students revealed a gender difference, men perceiving their partners more
rejecting than women perceived theirs. This discrepancy may be causing from the
cultural differences, since other Turkish studies’ also did not find a gender
difference.
Moreover, the relationship between intimate partner rejection and demographic
variables of age and length of marriage was examined. The results demonstrated that
age and marriage length were not significantly related to overall intimate partner
rejection. In other words, it can be suggested that married individuals’ perceiving
themselves as accepted or rejected by their intimate partners des not change
according to their ages or their marriage duration.
5.1.1.3.
Discussion
of
Findings
Regarding
the
Relationship
between
Demographic Variables and Early Maladaptive Schemas
To begin with, gender influence on early maladaptive schema domains was
examined. According to current study’s findings, a significant gender difference was
only revealed for disconnection/rejection schema domain. Males scored higher than
females in disconnection/rejection schema domain, which refers to insecure and
unsatisfying attachment to others, and the belief that one’s emotional needs for
warmth, acceptance, empathy, and care will remain unmet (Young et al., 2003).
Dissimilar to current finding, studies of Camara and Calvete (2012) among Spanish
youths, and Shorey et al. (2012) among American individuals resulted that women
presented higher early maladaptive schema scores than men, including most schemas
from disconnection/rejection domain. However, studies of Gök (2012) and Ünal
(2012) among Turkish individuals both concluded that males had higher
disconnection/rejection domain scores than females, similarly with the finding of this
study. Therefore, sociocultural differences might have caused this difference among
findings. In Turkish culture, males are not encouraged for expressing their emotions,
51
and when they show their emotional sides, they are prejudiced for not being ¨men
enough¨ (Atabek, 1998). Hence, men in Turkey may be disconnected from their parts
that have emotional needs of affection, warmth, and care, resulting in not being able
to meeting those needs.
Findings did not display a relationship between schema domains and either age
or length of marriage. That is to say maladaptive schema levels did not change
according to age of the participants or duration of their marriages. Thus, this finding
reassured Young et al. (2003)’s definition of early maladaptive schemas that they are
extremely firm and persistent cognitive structures, carried out by the individual
throughout the lifespan.
5.1.2. Discussion of Findings Regarding Inter-Correlations among Measures of
the Study
This section evaluates the inter-relationships among study variables. Firstly,
the relationship between parental acceptance-rejection (including overall maternal
rejection and overall paternal rejection) and intimate partner acceptance-rejection
was evaluated. Later on, parental acceptance-rejection’s link with early maladaptive
schema domains was assessed. Lastly, the correlation between schema domains and
intimate partner acceptance-rejection was examined.
5.1.2.1. Discussion of the Correlations between Parental Acceptance-Rejection
and Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection
According to results, both overall maternal and overall paternal rejection was
positively correlated to overall intimate partner rejection. In other words, as
remembered rejection in childhood from either mother or father increase, perceived
rejection from intimate partner in adulthood also increase for married individuals, as
hypothesized. This result is consistent with findings of Chyung and Lee (2008)’s
study among Korean college students, Parmar and Rohner (2008)’s research among
Indian married adults, Parmar et al. (2008)’s study among married individuals from
52
Kuwait, and Turkish studies conducted by Varan (2005), Eryavuz (2006), Varan et
al. (2008), and Karpat (2010), which all revealed that rejection from either mother or
father is related to rejection from intimate partner.
The continuity of parent-child relationship to adulthood intimate relationships
is a focused topic by attachment theorists (Hazan & Shaver, 1987; Bartholomew,
1990), and it was suggested that one’s attachment style towards his/her parents
reveals itself in intimate relationships in adulthood. Likewise in PARTheory, Rohner
(1986) also emphasized the important effects of feeling rejected by parents and lack
of warmth and affection in early years of life, which extend into adulthood social,
especially intimate, relationships, as current study’s findings suggests. PARTheory
(Rohner, 1986) explains this relationship between childhood and adulthood through
mental representations, which are cognitive structures formed during childhood and
affect individuals’ perception of themselves, others, and world around them. The
mediator role of these persistent mental representations in the relationship between
remember childhood rejection from parents and perceived rejection from intimate
partner will be evaluated through discussion of the mediation analyses in detail.
5.1.2.2. Discussion of the Correlations between Parental Rejection and Early
Maladaptive Schema Domains
Perceived parental rejection’s link with early maladaptive schemas was also
investigated in this study. Consistently with study’s hypothesis, as perceived
rejection
from
either
mother
or
father
escalated,
all
schema
domain
(disconnection/rejection, impaired autonomy, impaired limits, other directedness, and
unrelenting standards) scores also increased. This finding is in line with existing
literature: Early maladaptive schemas were found to be related with remembered
negative parenting practices in earlier studies (Harris & Curtin, 2002; Cecero, Nelson
& Gillie, 2004; Gök, 2012). Moreover, the connection between early maladaptive
schemas and remembered rejection in childhood was also specifically investigated.
Thimm (2010a) revealed that while paternal rejection was significantly related to all
schema domains, maternal rejection was significantly correlated to all domains but
53
impaired limits. Similarly, Sarıtaş-Atalar and Gençöz (in press) examined the
connection between maternal rejection and schema domains in university students,
and found that maternal rejection was significantly related to all domains but
impaired limits-unrelenting standards. Therefore, a slight dissimilarity between
current findings and the findings of Thimm (2010a) and Sarıtaş-Atalar and Gençöz
(in press) can be detected.
Current finding of parental rejection’s relationship with early maladaptive
schemas can be explained through Schema Model. Schema Theory suggests,
primarily toxic childhood experiences with parents develops the roots of early
maladaptive schemas (Young, 1999). Parents not meeting core emotional needs of
the child results in construction of these rigid, persistent, and maladaptive cognitive
structures, which are carried by the individual through the lifespan and create the
cognitive templates of one’s view about the world around him/her (Young et al.,
2003). Similarly, Rohner (1986) also mentions this concept as mental
representations. Therefore, current finding is consistent with both Schema Theory’s
and PARTheory’s suggestions.
This relationship between parental rejection in childhood and early
maladaptive schemas can also be considered specifically for each schema domain.
People with prominent disconnection/rejection schema domain are typically raised
by cold, unaffectionate, rejecting, abusive, and unstable parents (Young et al., 2003).
However, as Rohner (1986) and Young et al. (2003) suggests, all individuals have a
need for warmth, care, affection, and empathy. When this need for stability, care,
affection, and acceptance is not met in early years of life, one may develop a
persistent belief that their emotional needs will never be met. Therefore, this finding
that parental rejection is related to disconnection/rejection domain is understandable.
Impaired autonomy domain refers to the belief that one is unable to function and
survive independently, without others’ involvement (Young et al., 2003). Rejection
from parents by neglecting the child’s successes and belittling his/her independent
performance, therefore, may be related to this schema domains’ development, as
findings of this study suggests. Impaired limits schema domain is characterized by
one’s describing him/herself as superior than others, and not following
54
responsibilities to others or committing with long-term goals. Typically parents of
individuals with impaired limits schema domain are overindulgent, lack of directing
the child in a discipline (Young, 1999). Current study’s finding that parental
rejection is significantly linked with impaired limits domain may be explained in a
way that schemas in this domain can also be rooted from child being neglected or
extremely focused on his/her defects. Consequently, the child develops a sense of
superiority and entitlement as compensating the feeling of defectiveness and
rejection (Young et al., 2003). People with other directedness schema domain
extremely focus on gaining others’ approval and avoiding their rejection at the
expense of their own feelings, thoughts, and desires, and their family of origin is
usually show conditional acceptance to them (Young et al., 2003). Therefore, when
revealing the child’s own feelings or desires are discouraged and his/her authentic
self is rejected and suppressed by parents, one can acquire a maladaptive belief that
he/she should live through other people’s responses and approval to gain love and
acceptance from them. Lastly, the unrelenting standards schema domain refers to
inhibiting one’s spontaneity and impulses in order to reach the extremely rigid and
internalized standards and high performance (Young et al., 2003). Parental
rejection’s relationship with unrelenting standards domain is reasonable because
rejecting the child as who he/she is and demanding more from him/her may be linked
with one’s developing these rigid and high standards.
5.1.2.3. Discussion of the Correlations between Early Maladaptive Schemas and
Intimate Partner Rejection
Results displayed that the schema domains of disconnection/rejection, impaired
autonomy, and unrelenting standards are significantly correlated with perceived
intimate partner rejection. In other words, as scores of disconnection/rejection,
impaired autonomy and unrelenting standards increase, perceived rejection from
spouse also increased among married individuals. There is no research to this point
investigating the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and perceived
rejection from intimate partner. However, consistently with current findings, earlier
55
research reached significant associations between schemas and some relationship
constructs, such as intimacy (Stiles, 2004), jealousy (Dobrenski, 2001; Göral-Alkan,
2010), and relationship satisfaction (Göral-Alkan, 2010; Dumitrescu & Rusu, 2012).
The relationship between early maladaptive schemas and perceived rejection
from intimate partner can be evaluated specific to schema domains. People with
disconnection/rejection schema domain, to begin with, are defined as having
difficulties in forming secure attachment to others and feeling connectedness in close
relationships (Young, 1999). Moreover, because this schema domain is also related
with the belief that others will not be able to meet their emotional needs of love,
warmth, affection, stability etc., individuals may carry on this rigid belief by
selecting partners that are cold, unstable, criticizing, and rejecting, or perceive their
partners in these ways. On the other hand, because impaired autonomy schema
domain is characterized by one’s maladaptive expectation that he/she will not
perform, survive, and function independently (Young et al., 2003), individuals with
schemas in this domain may be unable stand to be separated from their partners even
if their partners are triggering their schemas; therefore, they may be stuck in
relationships in which they feel rejected. Finally, unrelenting standards schema
domain’s significant correlation with intimate partner rejection may be coming from
the fact that people in this domain have excessive and rigid expectations from others
as well as themselves (Young & Kolosko, 1994). In other words, individuals with
unrelenting standards schema domain may have extreme and unrealistic criteria of
how an intimate, loving partner should be; consequently, they may perceive their
partners rejecting because of not meeting their standards.
5.1.3. Discussion of Mediating Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas in the
Relationship between Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Intimate Partner
Acceptance-Rejection
The main hypothesis of the study was that early maladaptive schemas would
mediate the relationship between parental acceptance-rejection and intimate partner
acceptance-rejection. Following research question was that which schema domain(s)
56
would play the mediating role in this relationship. Accordingly, findings displayed
that disconnection/rejection schema domain partially mediated the relationship
between overall maternal rejection and overall intimate partner rejection. Moreover,
disconnection/rejection schema domain fully mediated the relationship between
overall paternal rejection and overall intimate partner rejection. Therefore, it can be
suggested that disconnection/rejection domain played a significant mediator role in
the connection between remembered parental rejection in childhood and perceived
intimate partner rejection in adulthood for married individuals. This model has not
been investigated in existing literature. However, although not about the intimate
relationships, Sarıtaş-Atalar and Gençöz (in press)’s study found a significant
mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in the relationship between perceived
maternal rejection in childhood and psychological adjustment in adulthood. In
addition, Thimm (2010a) also revealed a mediating role of early maladaptive
schemas in the relationship between parental rejection and personality disorder
symptoms. Thus, both studies indicate the significant mediating role of these
persistent mental representations in the relationship between childhood and
adulthood, consistently with present findings. As mentioned above, although this
model has not been examined in the literature, both PARTheory and Schema Model
have suggested its theoretical background.
To begin with, this result is consistent with PARTheory’s explanation for
extension of childhood into adulthood. Rohner (1986) stated that perceived rejection
in childhood shows its’ harmful effects in adult life, and this continuity occurs
through mental representations. Individuals who feel rejected by their parents
develop distorted mental representations, similar to internal working models
mentioned in attachment theory (Bowlby, 1973), about themselves, others and the
world around them, which in turn results in damaging effects in their psychological
adjustment
and
close
relationships
(Rohner,
2004).
Current
finding
of
disconnection/rejection schema domain’s mediating role, thus, fit with this
theoretical background because early maladaptive schemas are rigid, persistent, and
repetitive cognitive structures formed in childhood, and later experiences are
evaluated through the glasses of these maladaptive cognitive patterns (Young, 1999),
57
just like PARTheory’s definition of mental representations.
According to Schema Model, disconnection/rejection schema domain refers to
insecure attachment to others, and lack of connection, safety, affection, and stability
in interpersonal relationships, especially intimate relationships. In fact, earlier
research also presented disconnection/rejection domains’ and consisting schemas
predictive role on relationship dissatisfaction (Göral-Alkan, 2010; Dumitrescu &
Rusu, 2012). Furthermore, people with schemas in disconnection/rejection domain
are generally the most traumatized and exposed to toxic childhood experiences in
early years of their lives (Young et al., 2003). Therefore, mediator role of this
domain in present study’s findings can be evaluated as rejecting parenting by being
distant, neglecting or abusive from either mother or father in childhood predicts the
formation of the belief that others will not be trustworthy, caring, loving, and secure
enough to meet one’s need for acceptance, stability, security, and affection, because
these core emotional needs were not met by parents in childhood. Schema domain of
disconnection/rejection’s development, in turn, predicts perceiving rejection, and
lack of warmth, and affection from one’s intimate partner, such as the experiences
with rejecting parents among married individuals.
This result can be explained through the concept of “schema chemistry” Young
et al. (2003) proposed. This concept states that because of schemas’ self-maintaining
nature, individuals choose partners that will trigger and strengthen their early
maladaptive schemas (Young & Gluhoski, 1997), which are emotional and mental
representations of childhood unmet needs of stability, nurturance, affection, and
secure attachment (Atkinson, 2012). Another explanation may be that because of the
rigid and distorted belief, formed as a result of rejecting parenting, that one’s
emotional needs will remain unmet, married individuals with this schema domain
may perceive their partners as more rejecting than they really are.
Finally, different outcomes in the model according to gender of the parents can
be discussed. Disconnection/rejection schema domain fully mediated the relationship
between paternal rejection and intimate partner rejection. Hence, it can be suggested
that the association between married individuals’ remembered rejection from their
fathers and perceived rejection from their wives/husbands occurred through the
58
schema
domain
of
disconnection/rejection.
On
the
other
hand,
disconnection/rejection domain partially mediated the relationship between maternal
rejection and intimate partner rejection. Therefore, part of the relationship between
maternal rejection in childhood and perceived rejection from the spouse in adulthood
can be more directly formed. In addition, mothers in Turkish culture are more
emotionally involved with their children, expressing more openly their both positive
and negative emotions than fathers (Kağıtçıbaşı, Sunar, & Bekman, 1988).
Therefore, it can also be suggested that there might be other affectional factors
mediating or moderating the relationship between perceived parenting from mother,
which is emotionally enriched, and intimate partner rejection.
5.2. Limitations of the Study and Recommendations for Future Research
The first limitation of the study concerns sample characteristics. Most of the
participants having higher education (from high school, university and graduate
school) and coming from cities and metropolitan cities decreases generalizability of
the findings to married populations with dissimilar characteristics living in Turkey.
Therefore, increased focus on individuals from more rural parts or participants with
lower education levels is needed in future research for more generalizable results to
Turkish population.
Secondly, using self-report measures might have resulted in some drawbacks to
the study, as well. Subjective perceptions for evaluation of parental rejection and
partner rejection are given much more importance than objective evaluations in
PARTheory. However, early maladaptive schemas are rather implicit cognitive
structures. Therefore, individuals might have not been able to utterly reveal their
prominent schemas with a self-report questionnaire.
Another limitation is retrospective feature of the study. Although participants
were instructed to consider their relationships with parents during childhood, present
relationships might have affected the way they perceive their parents, as well. For
further research, longitudinal studies may bring richer information about both how
individuals’ perception about parents changes over the years, and the development of
59
early maladaptive schemas over time can be assessed.
Moreover, assessing married individuals, but not couples can be mentioned as
a limitation of the study. Besides individual dynamics, examining how each partner’s
own schemas, parental remembrances and partner perceptions interact with each
other would contribute more information about couples’ and each gender’s dynamics
in marriage. Therefore, it is recommended for future studies for investigating the
topic on couple basis.
5.3. Clinical Implications of the Study
First clinical implication of the study regards the role of early maladaptive
schemas in the connection between past experiences with parents and current
relationship with one’s partner. Problems of married individuals who feel that their
emotional needs are not met by their partner can be comprehended through
examining both remembered childhood experiences with their parents and their
maladaptive schemas formed accordingly with these past experiences. Married
individuals also can realize origins and schema related processes of current
emotional
problems
with
their
partners.
Furthermore,
because
disconnection/rejection domain revealed to be mediating schema domain in the
relationship between past parental and present intimate relationships, clinicians can
investigate and offer specific treatments for relationship problems by focusing
mostly on healing schemas in this domain.
Moreover, current empirical findings revealed the importance of childhood
parental relationships on current mental representations about the world and close
relationships. Therefore, intervention programs for parents may be developed in
order to educate both mothers and father about the significance of childhood
acceptance and core emotional needs on their children’s social development and
adulthood intimate relationships.
60
5.5. Conclusion
Present study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental
acceptance-rejection and intimate partner acceptance-rejection for
married
individuals, and mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in this connection.
Results revealed that, among married individuals, remembered rejection from mother
or father was significantly related to perceived rejection from intimate partner.
Moreover, disconnection/schema domain significantly mediated the relationship
between parental (both maternal and paternal) rejection and intimate partner
rejection.
Although its theoretical background has been proposed earlier by PARTheory
(Rohner, 1986), current study is the first research to test and demonstrate the
important mediating role of persistent cognitive constructs in the connection between
remembered parental acceptance-rejection and perceived intimate partner rejection
among married individuals. Therefore, bringing more light to the hypothesized
continuity between childhood parental relations and adulthood feelings of
acceptance-rejection in marriage, findings of this study presented an empirical
support for the suggested mediating role of mental representations.
61
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
INFORMED CONSENT/GÖNÜLLÜ KATILIM FORMU
Değerli Katılımcı,
Bu çalışma Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Psikoloji Bölümü Klinik Psikoloji
Yüksek Lisans Programı kapsamında Prof. Dr. Hürol Fışıloğlu danışmanlığında Psk.
Begüm Babuşcu tarafından yürütülen bir tez çalışmasıdır. Çalışmanın amacı, yetişkin
ve evli bireylerin çocuklukta ebeveynleri ile ilişkileri, şu anda eşleri ile ilişkileri ve
kişiliklerini oluşturan bazı özellikler arasındaki bağlantıyı incelemektir. Çalışmaya
katılım tamamıyla gönüllülük temelindedir. Ölçeklerin tamamlanması yaklaşık 20
dakikanızı alacaktır. Soruları sizin doğruluğunuzu yansıtacak şekilde cevaplamanız
ve soruları boş bırakmamanız geçerli ve güvenilir sonuçlar elde etmek açısından
oldukça önemlidir. Çalışmada sizden kimlik belirleyici hiçbir bilgi istenmemektedir.
Cevaplarınız
tamamıyla
gizli
tutulacak
ve
sadece
çalışma
kapsamında
değerlendirilecektir; elde edilecek bilgiler sadece bilimsel yayımlarda kullanılacaktır.
Anket genel olarak rahatsız edici sorular içermemektedir. Buna rağmen katılım
sırasında sorulardan ya da herhangi başka bir nedenden ötürü kendinizi rahatsız
hissederseniz
bırakabilirsiniz.
cevaplamayabilir
Anket
veya
sonunda,
bu
cevaplama
işini
çalışmayla
ilgili
istediğiniz
zaman
sorularınız
varsa
cevaplanacaktır. Çalışma hakkında daha fazla bilgi almak için Psk. Begüm Babuşcu
(E-posta: [email protected]) ile iletişim kurabilirsiniz.
Gösterdiğiniz ilgi ve yardım için şimdiden teşekkür ederim.
Bu çalışmaya tamamen gönüllü olarak katılıyorum ve istediğim zaman
yarıda kesip çıkabileceğimi biliyorum. Verdiğim bilgilerin bilimsel amaçlı
yayımlarda kullanılmasını kabul ediyorum. (Formu doldurup imzaladıktan sonra
uygulayıcıya geri veriniz).
İsim, Soyisim
Tarih
70
İmza
APPENDIX B
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FORM/DEMOGRAFİK BİLGİ FORMU
1. Cinsiyetiniz:
( ) Kadın
( ) Erkek
2. Doğum yılınız: ……………..
3. Eğitim düzeyiniz
( ) İlkokul
( ) Ortaokul
( ) Lise
( ) Üniversite/Yüksekokul
( ) Lisansüstü
4. Yaşamınızın çoğunu geçirdiğiniz yer:
( ) Köy
( ) İlçe
( ) Şehir
( ) Büyükşehir
5. Ne zamandır evlisiniz?
…………….. yıl …………. ay
6. Şu anki evliliğiniz kaçıncı evliliğiniz?
…………..
7. Çocuğunuz var mı?
( ) Evet
(sayısını yazınız ……..)
( ) Hayır
71
APPENDIX C
PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION QUESTIONNAIRE/EBEVEYN
KABUL-RED ÖLÇEĞİ
Aşağıda anne ve babaların çocuklarına karşı sergiledikleri davranışlarla ilgili
bazı cümleler var. Her cümleyi dikkatlice okuyun ve okuduğunuz cümlenin "siz
çocukken", annenizin ve babanızın size karşı göstermiş olduğu davranışları ne kadar
iyi anlattığını düşünün.
Testi, cümleler üzerinde fazla oyalanmadan, size ilk doğru gelen cevapları
işaretleyerek
doldurun.
Cevaplarınızı
anne
veya
babanızdan
beklediğiniz
davranışlara göre değil, bu kişinin size gerçekte gösterdiği davranışlara göre verin.
Her cümleyi hem anneniz hem de babanız için ayrı ayrı puanlandırın.
Cümledeki davranışın anne veya babanız için ne kadar doğru olduğunu
aşağıdaki yönergeye göre puanlandırınız:
1 - Hiçbir zaman doğru değil
2 - Nadiren doğru
3 - Bazen doğru
4 - Hemen hemen her zaman doğru
Anne Baba
1. ___ ___ Benim hakkımda güzel şeyler söylerdi.
2. ___ ___ Kötü davrandığımda bana söylenir veya beni azarlardı.
3. ___ ___ Sanki ben hiç yokmuşum gibi davranırdı.
4. ___ ___ Beni gerçekten sevmezdi.
5. ___ ___ Planlarımız hakkında benimle konuşur ve benim söyleyeceklerimi de
dinlerdi.
6. ___ ___ Onun sözünü dinlemediğim zaman beni başkalarına şikâyet ederdi.
7. ___ ___ Benimle yakından ilgilenirdi.
8. ___ ___ Arkadaşlarımı eve çağırmam için beni cesaretlendirir ve onların güzel
vakit geçirmesi için elinden geleni yapardı.
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9. ___ ___ Benimle alay eder ve dalga geçerdi.
10. ___ ___ Onu rahatsız etmediğim sürece benimle ilgilenmezdi.
11. ___ ___ Kızdığı zaman bana bağırırdı.
12. ___ ___ Benim için önemli olan şeyleri ona anlatabilmemi kolaylaştırırdı.
13. ___ ___ Bana karşı sert davranırdı.
14. ___ ___ Onun etrafında olmamdan hoşlanırdı
15. ___ ___ Bir şeyi iyi yaptığımda, kendimle gurur duymamı sağlardı.
16. ___ ___ Hak etmediğim zaman bile bana vururdu.
17. ___ ___ Benim için yapması gereken şeyleri unuturdu.
18. ___ ___ Beni büyük bir baş belası olarak görürdü.
19. ___ ___ Beni başkalarına överdi.
20. ___ ___ Kızdığı zaman beni çok kötü cezalandırırdı.
21. ___ ___ Sağlıklı ve doğru şeyleri yememe çok dikkat ederdi.
22. ___ ___ Benimle sıcak ve sevgi dolu bir şekilde konuşurdu.
23. ___ ___ Bana hemen kızardı.
24. ___ ___ Sorularımı cevaplayamayacak kadar meşguldü.
25. ___ ___ Benden hoşlanmıyor gibiydi.
26. ___ ___ Hak ettiğim zaman bana güzel şeyler söylerdi.
27. ___ ___ Çabuk parlar ve öfkesini benden çıkarırdı.
28. ___ ___ Arkadaşlarımın kim olduğuyla yakından ilgilenirdi.
29. ___ ___ Yaptığım şeylerle gerçekten ilgilenirdi.
30. ___ ___ Bana bir sürü kırıcı şey söylerdi.
31. ___ ___ Ondan yardım istediğimde benimle ilgilenmezdi.
32. ___ ___ Başım derde girdiğinde, hatanın bende olduğunu düşünürdü.
33. ___ ___ Bana istenilen ve ihtiyaç duyulan biri olduğumu hissettirirdi.
34. ___ ___ Onun sinirine dokunduğumu söylerdi.
35. ___ ___ Bana çok ilgi gösterirdi.
36. ___ ___ İyi davrandığım zaman benimle ne kadar gurur duyduğunu söyler
37. ___ ___ Beni kırmak için elinden geleni yapardı.
38. ___ ___ Hatırlaması gerekli diye düşündüğüm önemli şeyleri unuturdu.
39. ___ ___ Şayet kötü davranırsam, beni artık sevmediğini hissettirirdi.
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40. ___ ___ Bana yaptığım şeylerin önemli olduğunu hissettirirdi
41. ___ ___ Yanlış bir şey yaptığımda beni korkutur veya tehdit ederdi.
42. ___ ___ Benimle zaman geçirmekten hoşlanırdı.
43. ___ ___ Korktuğumda ya da bir şeye canım sıkıldığında, bana yardım etmeye
çalışırdı.
44. ___ ___ Kötü davrandığım zaman beni arkadaşlarımın önünde utandırırdı.
45. ___ ___ Benden uzak durmaya çalışırdı.
46. ___ ___ Benden şikâyet ederdi.
47. ___ ___ Benim ne düşündüğüme önem verir ve düşündüklerim hakkında
konuşmamdan hoşlanırdı.
48. ___ ___ Ne yaparsam yapayım, diğer çocukların benden daha iyi olduğunu
düşünürdü
49. ___ ___ Bir plan yaparken benim de ne istediğime önem verirdi.
50. ___ ___ Benim için önemli olan şeyleri, kendisine zorluk çıkarsa da, yapmama
izin verirdi.
51. ___ ___ Diğer çocukların benden daha akıllı ve uslu olduğunu düşünürdü.
52. ___ ___ Bakmaları için beni hep başkalarına bırakırdı.
53. ___ ___ Bana istenmediğimi belli ederdi.
54. ___ ___ Yaptığım şeylerle ilgilenirdi.
55. ___ ___ Canım yandığında veya hasta olduğumda kendimi daha iyi hissetmem
için elinden geleni yapardı.
56. ___ ___ Kötü davrandığım zaman benden ne kadar utandığını söylerdi.
57. ___ ___ Beni sevdiğini belli ederdi.
58. ___ ___ Bana karşı yumuşak ve iyi kalpliydi.
59. ___ ___ Kötü davrandığım zaman beni utandırır veya suçlu hissettirirdi
60. ___ ___ Beni mutlu etmeye çalışırdı.
74
APPENDIX D
YOUNG SCHEMA QUESTIONNAIRE - SHORT FORM 3/
YOUNG ŞEMA ÖLÇEĞİ – KISA FORM3
Aşağıda, kişilerin kendilerini tanımlarken kullandıkları ifadeler sıralanmıştır.
Lütfen her bir ifadeyi okuyun ve sizi ne kadar iyi tanımladığına karar verin. Emin
olamadığınız sorularda neyin doğru olabileceğinden çok, sizin duygusal olarak ne
hissettiğinize dayanarak cevap verin.
Birkaç soru, anne babanızla ilişkiniz hakkındadır. Eğer biri veya her ikisi şu
anda yaşamıyorlarsa, bu soruları o veya onlar hayatta iken ilişkinizi göz önüne alarak
cevaplandırın.
1 den 6’ya kadar olan seçeneklerden sizi tanımlayan en yüksek şıkkı seçerek
her sorudan önce yer alan boşluğa yazın.
Derecelendirme:
1- Benim için tamamıyla yanlış
2- Benim için büyük ölçüde yanlış
3- Bana uyan tarafı uymayan tarafından biraz fazla
4- Benim için orta derecede doğru
5- Benim için çoğunlukla doğru
6- Beni mükemmel şekilde tanımlıyor
1. _____
Bana bakan, benimle zaman geçiren, başıma gelen olaylarla gerçekten
ilgilenen kimsem olmadı.
2. _____ Beni terk edeceklerinden korktuğum için yakın olduğum insanların peşini
bırakmam.
3. _____ İnsanların beni kullandıklarını hissediyorum
4. _____ Uyumsuzum.
5. _____ Beğendiğim hiçbir erkek/kadın, kusurlarımı görürse beni sevmez.
6. _____ İş (veya okul) hayatımda neredeyse hiçbir şeyi diğer insanlar kadar iyi
75
yapamıyorum
7. _____ Günlük yaşamımı tek başıma idare edebilme becerisine sahip olduğumu
hissetmiyorum.
8. _____ Kötü bir şey olacağı duygusundan kurtulamıyorum.
9. _____ Anne babamdan ayrılmayı, bağımsız hareket edebilmeyi, yaşıtlarım kadar,
başaramadım.
10. _____ Eğer istediğimi yaparsam, başımı derde sokarım diye düşünürüm.
11. _____ Genellikle yakınlarıma ilgi gösteren ve bakan ben olurum.
12. _____
Olumlu duygularımı diğerlerine göstermekten utanırım (sevdiğimi,
önemsediğimi göstermek gibi).
13. _____ Yaptığım çoğu şeyde en iyi olmalıyım; ikinci olmayı kabullenemem.
14. _____ Diğer insanlardan bir şeyler istediğimde bana “hayır” denilmesini çok zor
kabullenirim.
15. _____ Kendimi sıradan ve sıkıcı işleri yapmaya zorlayamam.
16. _____ Paramın olması ve önemli insanlar tanıyor olmak beni değerli yapar.
17. _____ Her şey yolunda gidiyor görünse bile, bunun bozulacağını hissederim.
18. _____ Eğer bir yanlış yaparsam, cezalandırılmayı hak ederim.
19. _____ Çevremde bana sıcaklık, koruma ve duygusal yakınlık gösteren kimsem
yok.
20. _____ Diğer insanlara o kadar muhtacım ki onları kaybedeceğim diye çok
endişeleniyorum.
21. _____ İnsanlara karşı tedbiri elden bırakamam yoksa bana kasıtlı olarak zarar
vereceklerini hissederim.
22. _____ Temel olarak diğer insanlardan farklıyım.
23. _____ Gerçek beni tanırlarsa beğendiğim hiç kimse bana yakın olmak istemez.
24. _____ İşleri halletmede son derece yetersizim.
25. _____ Gündelik işlerde kendimi başkalarına bağımlı biri olarak görüyorum.
26. _____ Her an bir felaket (doğal, adli, mali veya tıbbi) olabilir diye hissediyorum.
27. _____ Annem, babam ve ben birbirimizin hayatı ve sorunlarıyla aşırı ilgili
olmaya eğilimliyiz.
28. _____
Diğer insanların isteklerine uymaktan başka yolum yokmuş gibi
76
hissediyorum; eğer böyle yapmazsam bir şekilde beni reddederler veya intikam
alırlar.
29. _____ Başkalarını kendimden daha fazla düşündüğüm için ben iyi bir insanım.
30. _____ Duygularımı diğerlerine açmayı utanç verici bulurum.
31. _____ En iyisini yapmalıyım, “yeterince iyi” ile yetinemem.
32. _____ Ben özel biriyim ve diğer insanlar için konulmuş olan kısıtlamaları veya
sınırları kabul etmek zorunda değilim.
33. _____ Eğer hedefime ulaşamazsam kolaylıkla yılgınlığa düşer ve vazgeçerim.
34. _____ Başkalarının da farkında olduğu başarılar benim için en değerlisidir.
35. _____ İyi bir şey olursa, bunu kötü bir şeyin izleyeceğinden endişe ederim.
36. _____ Eğer yanlış yaparsam, bunun özrü yoktur.
37. _____ Birisi için özel olduğumu hiç hissetmedim.
38. _____ Yakınlarımın beni terk edeceği ya da ayrılacağından endişe duyarım
39. _____ Herhangi bir anda birileri beni aldatmaya kalkışabilir.
40. _____ Bir yere ait değilim, yalnızım.
41. _____ Başkalarının sevgisine, ilgisine ve saygısına değer bir insan değilim.
42. _____ İş ve başarı alanlarında birçok insan benden daha yeterli.
43. _____ Doğru ile yanlışı birbirinden ayırmakta zorlanırım.
44. _____ Fiziksel bir saldırıya uğramaktan endişe duyarım.
45. _____ Annem, babam ve ben özel hayatımız birbirimizden saklarsak, birbirimizi
aldatmış hisseder veya suçluluk duyarız.
46. _____ İlişkilerimde, diğer kişinin yönlendirici olmasına izin veririm.
47. _____ Yakınlarımla o kadar meşgulüm ki kendime çok az zaman kalıyor.
48. _____ İnsanlarla beraberken içten ve cana yakın olmak benim için zordur.
49. _____ Tüm sorumluluklarımı yerine getirmek zorundayım.
50. _____ İstediğimi yapmaktan alıkonulmaktan veya kısıtlanmaktan nefret ederim.
51. _____ Uzun vadeli amaçlara ulaşabilmek için şu andaki zevklerimden fedakârlık
etmekte zorlanırım
52. _____
Başkalarından yoğun bir ilgi görmezsem kendimi daha az önemli
hissederim.
53. _____ Yeterince dikkatli olmazsanız, neredeyse her zaman bir şeyler ters gider.
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54. _____ Eğer işimi doğru yapmazsam sonuçlara katlanmam gerekir.
55. _____ Beni gerçekten dinleyen, anlayan veya benim gerçek ihtiyaçlarım ve
duygularımı önemseyen kimsem olmadı.
56. _____
Önem verdiğim birisinin benden uzaklaştığını sezersem çok kötü
hissederim.
57. _____ Diğer insanların niyetleriyle ilgili oldukça şüpheciyimdir.
58. _____ Kendimi diğer insanlara uzak veya kopmuş hissediyorum.
59. _____ Kendimi sevilebilecek biri gibi hissetmiyorum.
60. _____ İş (okul) hayatımda diğer insanlar kadar yetenekli değilim.
61. _____ Gündelik işler için benim kararlarıma güvenilemez.
62. _____ Tüm paramı kaybedip çok fakir veya zavallı duruma düşmekten endişe
duyarım.
63. _____ Çoğunlukla annem ve babamın benimle iç içe yaşadığını hissediyorumBenim kendime ait bir hayatım yok.
64. _____ Kendim için ne istediğimi bilmediğim için daima benim adıma diğer
insanların karar vermesine izin veririm.
65. _____ Ben hep başkalarının sorunlarını dinleyen kişi oldum.
66. _____ Kendimi o kadar kontrol ederim ki insanlar beni duygusuz veya hissiz
bulurlar.
67. _____ Başarmak ve bir şeyler yapmak için sürekli bir baskı altındayım.
68. _____
Diğer insanların uyduğu kurallara ve geleneklere uymak zorunda
olmadığımı hissediyorum.
69. _____ Benim yararıma olduğunu bilsem bile hoşuma gitmeyen şeyleri yapmaya
kendimi zorlayamam.
70. _____ Bir toplantıda fikrimi söylediğimde veya bir topluluğa tanıtıldığımda
onaylanılmayı ve takdir görmeyi isterim.
71. _____ Ne kadar çok çalışırsam çalışayım, maddi olarak iflas edeceğimden ve
neredeyse her şeyimi kaybedeceğimden endişe ederim.
72. _____ Neden yanlış yaptığımın önemi yoktur; eğer hata yaptıysam sonucuna da
katlanmam gerekir.
73. _____ Hayatımda ne yapacağımı bilmediğim zamanlarda uygun bir öneride
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bulunacak veya beni yönlendirecek kimsem olmadı.
74. _____
İnsanların beni terk edeceği endişesiyle bazen onları kendimden
uzaklaştırırım.
75. _____ Genellikle insanların asıl veya art niyetlerini araştırırım.
76. _____ Kendimi hep grupların dışında hissederim.
77. _____
Kabul edilemeyecek pek çok özelliğim yüzünden insanlara kendimi
açamıyorum veya beni tam olarak tanımalarına izin vermiyorum.
78. _____ İş (okul) hayatımda diğer insanlar kadar zeki değilim.
79. _____ Günlük yaşamımı tek başıma idare edebilme becerisine sahip olduğumu
hissetmiyorum.
80. _____ Bir doktor tarafından herhangi bir ciddi hastalık bulunmamasına rağmen
bende ciddi bir hastalığın gelişmekte olduğu endişesine kapılıyorum.
81. _____
Sık sık annemden babamdan ya da eşimden ayrı bir kimliğimin
olmadığını hissediyorum.
82. _____
Haklarıma saygı duyulmasını ve duygularımın hesaba katılmasını
istemekte çok zorlanıyorum.
83. _____ Başkaları beni, diğerleri için çok, kendim için az şey yapan biri olarak
görüyorlar.
84. _____ Diğerleri beni duygusal olarak soğuk bulurlar.
85. _____
Kendimi sorumluluktan kolayca sıyıramıyorum veya hatalarım için
gerekçe bulamıyorum.
86. _____
Benim yaptıklarımın, diğer insanların katkılarından daha önemli
olduğunu hissediyorum.
87. _____ Kararlarıma nadiren sadık kalabilirim.
88. _____ Bir dolu övgü ve iltifat almam kendimi değerli birisi olarak hissetmemi
sağlar.
89. _____ Yanlış bir kararın bir felakete yol açabileceğinden endişe ederim.
90. _____ Ben cezalandırılmayı hak eden, kötü bir insanım.
79
APPENDIX E
INTIMATE PARTNER ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION QUESTIONNAIRE/
EŞ KABUL-RED ÖLÇEĞİ
Aşağıda, yetişkin kişilerin, yakın bir ilişki içerisindeki davranışlarıyla ilgili
bazı cümleler var. Her cümleyi dikkatlice okuyun ve okuduğunuz cümlenin eşinizin
size karşı davranışlarını ne kadar iyi anlattığını düşünün.
Testi, cümleler üzerinde fazla oyalanmadan, size ilk doğru gelen cevapları
işaretleyerek doldurun. Cevaplarınızı eşinizden beklediğiniz davranışlara göre değil,
bu kişinin size gerçekte gösterdiği davranışlara göre verin ve cümleleri aşağıdaki
derecelendirmeye göre puanlandırın:
1 - Hiçbir zaman doğru değil
2 - Nadiren doğru
3 - Bazen doğru
4 - Hemen hemen her zaman doğru
EŞİM…
1. Benim hakkımda güzel şeyler söyler.
2. Bana söylenir veya beni azarlar.
3. Sanki ben hiç yokmuşum gibi davranır.
4. Beni gerçekten sevmez.
5. Benimle planlarımız hakkında konuşur ve benim fikirlerimi de dinler.
6. Beni başkalarına şikâyet eder.
7. Benimle yakından ilgilenir.
8. Arkadaşlarımı çağırmam için beni cesaretlendirir ve onların güzel vakit geçirmesi
için elinden geleni yapar.
9. Benimle alay eder ve beni küçümser.
10. Onu rahatsız etmediğim sürece benimle
11. Kızdığı zaman bana bağırır
12. Benim için önemli olan şeyleri ona anlatabilmemi kolaylaştırır.
13. Bana karşı sert davranır.
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14. Onun etrafında olmamdan hoşlanır.
15. Bir şeyi iyi yaptığımda, kendimle gurur duymamı sağlar.
16. Bana vurur.
17. Benim için yapması gereken şeyleri unutur.
18. Beni büyük bir bela olarak görür.
19. Beni başkalarına över
20. Kızdığı zaman bana çok kötü davranır.
21. Yiyecek konusunda, benim isteklerimi de dikkate alır.
22. Benimle sıcak ve sevgi dolu bir şekilde konuşur
23. Bana hemen kızar.
24. Sorularımı cevaplayamayacak kadar meşguldür
25. Benden hoşlanmıyor gibi.
26. Hak ettiğim zaman bana güzel şeyler söyler.
27. Çabuk parlar ve öfkesini benden çıkarır.
28. Arkadaşlarımın kim olduğunu bilmek ister.
29. Yaptığım şeylerle gerçekten ilgilenir.
30. Bana bir sürü kırıcı şey söyler.
31. Ondan yardım istediğimde benimle ilgilenmez.
32. Başım derde girdiğinde, hatanın bende olduğunu düşünür.
33. Bana istenilen ve ihtiyaç duyulan biri olduğumu hissettirir.
34. Onun sinirine dokunduğumu söyler.
35. Bana çok ilgi gösterir.
36. Bir şeyi iyi yaptığımda, benimle ne kadar gurur duyduğunu söyler.
37. Beni kırmak için elinden geleni yapar
38. Hatırlaması gerekir diye düşündüğüm önemli şeyleri unutur.
39. Bana kendimi artık sevilmiyormuşum gibi hissettirir.
40. Bana yaptığım şeylerin önemli olduğunu hissettirir.
41. Onaylamadığı bir şey yaptığımda, beni korkutur veya tehdit eder.
42. Benimle zaman geçirmekten hoşlanır.
43. Korktuğumda ya da bir şeye canım sıkıldığında bana yardım etmeye çalışır.
44. Beni arkadaşlarımın önünde utandırır.
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45. Benden uzak durmaya çalışır.
46. Benden şikâyet eder.
47. Benim ne düşündüğüme önem verir ve düşündüklerim hakkında konuşmamdan
hoşlanır.
48. Ne yaparsam yapayım, diğer kadınların/erkeklerin benden daha iyi olduğunu
düşünür.
49. Bir plan yaparken benim de ne istediğime önem verir.
50. Benim için önemli olan şeyleri, kendisine zorluk çıkarsa da, yapmama izin verir.
51. Diğer insanların benden daha iyi davrandıklarını düşünür.
52. Beni başkalarına yollayıp, başından atar.
53. Bana istenmediğimi belli eder.
54. Yaptığım şeylerle ilgilenir.
55. Canım yandığında veya hasta olduğumda, kendimi daha iyi hissetmem için
elinden geleni yapar.
56. Yanlış bir şey yaptığımda benden ne kadar utandığını söyler.
57. Beni sevdiğini belli eder.
58. Bana karşı yumuşak ve iyi kalplidir.
59. Onun hoşuna gitmeyen bir şey yaptığımda, beni utandırır veya suçlu hissettir.
60. Beni mutlu etmeye çalışır.
82
APPENDIX F
TEZ FOTOKOPİSİ İZİN FORMU
ENSTİTÜ
Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü
Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü
X
Uygulamalı Matematik Enstitüsü
Enformatik Enstitüsü
Deniz Bilimleri Enstitüsü
YAZARIN
Soyadı : Babuşcu
Adı
: Begüm
Bölümü : Klinik Psikoloji
TEZİN ADI (İngilizce) : The Relatioship between Parental Acceptance-Rejection
and Intimate Partner Acceptance-Rejection among Married Individuals: Mediating
Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas.
TEZİN TÜRÜ : Yüksek Lisans
1.
X
Doktora
Tezimin tamamından kaynak gösterilmek şartıyla fotokopi alınabilir.
2. Tezimin içindekiler sayfası, özet, indeks sayfalarından ve/veya bir
bölümünden kaynak gösterilmek şartıyla fotokopi alınabilir.
3.
Tezimden bir bir (1) yıl süreyle fotokopi alınamaz.
TEZİN KÜTÜPHANEYE TESLİM TARİHİ:
83
X
TÜRKÇE ÖZET
Birçok kuramsal görüş (e.g. Freud, 1910; Bowlby, 1973; Rohner, 1986; Young,
1999), birbirlerinden farklı açıklamalarına rağmen çocukluk yaşantılarının kişinin
yetişkinliğinde çeşitli etkilere sahip olduğunda hemfikirdir. Özellikle ebeveyn-çocuk
ilişkisinin bireyin psikolojik uyumunun yanısıra, yetişkinlikte kurulan yakın
ilişkilerde de kendini gösterdiği belirtilmiştir (Klein, 1984; Hendrix, 1990; Hazan &
Shaver, 1987). Ebeveyn-çocuk ilişkisinin yetişkinlik ile bağlantılarını çalışan
kuramlardan biri de Rohner (1975, 1986) tarafından geliştirilen Ebeveyn Kabul-Red
(EKAR) Kuramıdır. EKAR Kuramı, çocukluk sırasınca ebeveynden algılanan kabul
ve reddin nedenlerini, hem çocuk hem de yetişkinlerin üzerindeki davranışsal,
bilişsel ve duygusal sonuçlarını ampirik verilerle destekleyerek açıklamaya ve
yordamaya çalışan kültürler arası bir sosyalizasyon kuramıdır (Rohner, 1975).
Rohner (1986), ebeveyn kabul-reddini bir ucunda kabulün diğer ucunda da reddin
olduğu bir uzantı olarak tanımlamıştır. ¨Kabul¨ ucunda çocuk ebeveyninden sevgi,
sıcaklık, ilgi, bakım algılarken ¨red¨ ucunda sıcaklıktan yoksunluk, ihmal, düşmanlık
vb. algılar. EKAR Kuramı’na gore bireyin çocuklukta algıladığı kabul veya red
kişide ebeveyn-çocuk ilişkisine dair oluşturduğu zihinsel tasarımlar nedeniyle kişinin
hem çocuklukta hem de yetişkinlikteki psikolojik uyumunu, kişilik örüntülerini ve
sosyal ilişkilerini sürekli bir şekilde etkilemeye devam eder (Rohner, 2004).
Şimdiye kadar yapılan çalışmalarla çocuklukta ebeveynden algılanan reddin
yetişkinlikteki psikolojik uyumla ilişkili bulunması, EKAR kuramının çocukluğun
yetişkinliğe olan sürekliliği hipotezini destekler niteliktedir (Khaleque & Rohner,
2002; Rohner & Khaleque, 2010; Khaleque & Rohner, 2012; Yakın, 2011; SarıtaşAtalar & Gençöz, baskıda). Psikolojik uyumun yanında, EKAR Kuramı çocukluktaki
ebeveyn-çocuk ilişkisindeki duygusal bağın kalitesinin yetişkinlikteki yakın
ilişkilerle de bağlantılı olduğunu önermiştir (Rohner, 2004). Bu bağlamda yapılan
çalışmalar da (Yalçınkaya, 1997; Varan, 2005; Eryavuz, 2006) çocuklukta
ebeveynden algılanan reddin yetişkinlikte daha düşük ilişki doyumuyla ilişkili
olduğunu göstererek bu önermeyi desteklemiştir.
84
EKAR Kuramı 1999 yılında bir paradigma değişimine uğramış ve sadece
çocuklukta ebeveynden algılanan kabul veya red değil, hayatın herhangi bir anında
her hangi bir bağlanma figüründen, özellikle kişinin yakın ilişkideki partnerinden,
görülen kabul veya reddin de kişi üzerinde çeşitli etkileri olabileceği araştırılmaya
başlanmıştır (Rohner, 2008). Bu noktada Rohner (2001) bireyin eşi tarafından
sevildiğine veya reddedildiğine dair öznel algısı olarak danımladığı ¨eş kabul-reddi¨
terimini sunmuştur. Rohner (2001)’in Eş Kabul/Red Ölçeği’ni geliştirmesiyle birlikte
eş’ten algılanan kabul veya red de çalışma konusu olarak odaklanılmaya
başlanmıştır.
Şimdiye kadar eşten algılanan reddin daha düşük psikolojik uyumla (RipollNuñez & Alvarez, 2008; Varan et al., 2008; Parmar & Rohner, 2008; Parmar et al.,
2008; Chyung & Lee, 2008) ve daha düşük ilişki doyumuyla (Varan, 2005; Eryavuz,
2006; Karpat, 2010) bağlantıları gösterilmiştir. Bunların yanında, yetişkinlikte eşten
algılanan kabul-reddin hatırlanan çocukluktaki ebeveyn kabul-reddiyle ilişkisi de
farklı kültürlerde çalışılmış ve genellikle bu ilişki anlamlı bulunmuştur (Varan, 2005;
Eryavuz, 2006; Chyung & Lee, 2008; Parmar & Rohner, 2008; Parmar, Ibrahim, &
Rohner, 2008, Rohner, Melendez, & Kraimer-Rickaby, 2008; Varan et al., 2008). Bu
sonuç EKAR Kuramı’nda önerilen çocuklukta ebeveynlerle ilişkinin yetişkinlikteki
yakın ilişkiye devamlılığına işaret eden bir bulgu olarak görülebilir.
Yukarıda da bahsedildiği gibi, ebeveyn kabul-reddinin yetişkinlikteki
yaşantılara ve yakın ilişkilere uzantısı EKAR Kuramı’nda zihinsel temsiller yoluyla
açıklanmaktadır (Rohner, 1986). Ebeveynlerinden red algılayan çocukların kendileri,
diğerleri ve içinde bulundukları dünya hakkında çarpıtılmış bilişsel tasarımlar
oluştururlar. Bu bilişsel yapılar gelecekte kişinin psikolojik uyumunun yanısıra yakın
ilişkilerdeki doyumu ve kişinin partnerinden algıladığı kabul-reddi de etkilemektedir
(Rohner, 2004). Bu zihinsel temsilleri daha iyi detaylandırabilmek için Şema Modeli
ve Erken Dönem Uyumsuz Şemaları’na yönelinebilir.
Şema Modeli’ne göre çocuklukta yaşanan zarar verici ailesel ve çevresel
deneyimler bireyin temel duygusal ihtiyaçlarının karşılanmamasına neden olarak
erken dönem uyumsuz şemaların oluşumuna yol açar. Erken dönem uyumsuz
şemalar, çocukluk yıllarında oluşmuş son derece katı, sürekli, yetişkinliğe uzanan ve
85
öz-yıkımcı duygusal ve bilişsel şablonlardır (Young, Kolosko, & Weishaar, 2003).
Şema Modeli’nde beş
ayrı şema alanından bahsedilmektedir;
bunlar 1)
kopukluk/reddedilme, 2) zedelenmiş otonomi, 3) zedelenmiş sınırlar, 4) diğerleri
yönelimlilik, ve 5) yüksek standartlardır.
Young ve ark. (2003)’a göre erken dönem uyumsuz şemaların oluşumunda
ebeveynlerin çocuk yetiştirmedeki tutumları büyük bir öneme sahiptir. Şimdiye
kadar yapılan çalışmalar da (Harris & Curtin, 2002; Cecero, Nelson & Gillie, 2004;
Thimm, 2010a; Gök, 2012; Ünal, 2012; Sarıtaş-Atalar & Gençöz, baskıda) olumsuz
ebeveyn davranışlarının daha yüksek erken dönem uyumsuz şemalarla bağlantısını
ortaya koymuştur. Şema Modeli’nde, olumsuz ebeveynlik tutumları sonucunda
çocuklukta oluşan bu şemaların katı ve kendilerini devam ettiren doğaları nedeniyle
kişisinin sadece psikolojik uyumunu değil kişilerarası ilişkilerini, özellikle yakın
ilişkilerini, de önemli ölçüde etkilediğinden bahsedilmektedir (Young & Gluhoski,
1997). Bu önermeye katkı yapan önceki araştırmalar da erken dönem uyumsuz
şemaların romantik kıskançlık (Göral-Alkan, 2010), boşanma (Yoosefi, Etemadi,
Bahrami, Al-sadat Fatehizade & Ahmadi, 2010) ve daha düşük ilişki doyumu
(Freeman, 1998; Göral-Alkan, 2010; Dumitrescu & Rusu, 2012) ile anlamlı bir
şekilde bağlantılı olduğunu ortaya koymuşlardır. Şema Modeli’ne göre ilişkide her
partnerin kendi ilişki örüntülerinin birbirleriyle çarpışması ilişkie uyum bozucu
döngülere yol açmakta ve çocuklukta giderilmeyen duygusal ihtiyaçların sonucunda
oluşmuş olan şemalarının tetiklenmesine yol açmaktadır (Atkinson, 2012). Bu
nedenle, erken dönem uyumsuz şemalar çocukluktaki ebeveyn reddinin yetişkinlikte
algılanan eş reddine sürekliliğinde rolü olan zihinsel temsiller için açıklayıcı bir
faktör olarak değerlendirilebilirler.
Çalışmanın Amacı
Şimdiye kadar yapılan çalışmalar çocuklukta ebeveynlerden algılanan kabulreddin yetişkinlikte eşten algılanan kabul-red ile alakalı olduğunu göstermiştir. Bu
nedenle, EKAR Kuramı’nda da bahsedildiği gibi, ebeveyn kabul-reddi ile eş kabulreddi arasında bir devamlılık önerilebilir. Hem EKAR Kuramı’nda hem de Şema
Modeli’nde çocukluk yaşantılarının yetişkinlik romantik ilişkilerine devamlılığının
çocuklukta oluşan katı bilişsel yapılanmalar sayesinde gerçekleştiği önerilmiş olsa da
86
şimdiye kadar zihinsel tasarımların ebeveyn kabul-reddi ve eş kabul-reddi arasındaki
ilişkideki bu rolünü araştıran bir çalışma yapılmamıştır. Bunun için, bu çalışma evli
bireylerde ebeveyn kabul-reddi ve eş kabul reddi arasında erken dönem uyumsuz
şema alanlarının aracı rolünü araştırmayı amaçlamıştır.
Çalışmanın Hipotezleri ve Araştırma Sorusu
Evli bireylerde ebeveyn kabul-reddi, eş kabul-reddi ve erken dönem uyumsuz
şemalar arasındaki ilişkiyi araştıran bu çalışmada aşağıdaki hipotezler kurulmuştur:
1) Ebeveynlerden algılanan red arttıkça eşten algılan red de artacaktır.
5) Ebeveynden algılanan red arttıkça kişinin erken dönem uyumsuz şema
alanları puanları da artacaktır.
6) Eşten algılanan red arttıkça kişinin erken dönem uyumsuz şema alanları
puanları da artacaktır.
7) Erken dönem uyumsuz şema alanları ebeveyn kabul-reddi ve eş kabulreddi arasındaki ilişkide aracı bir rol oynayacaktır.

Ebeveynden çocuklukta algılanmış olan red arttıkça kişinin şema
alanları puanları da artacak, ve bu da eşten algılanan reddin de
artmasına sebep olacaktır.
Ek olarak, çalışma aşağıdaki araştırma sorusunu da yanıtlamayı amaçlamıştır:

Hangi şema alanı/alanları ebeveyn kabul-reddi ve eş kabul-reddi
arasındaki ilişkide aracı rol oynamaktadır?
Çalışmanın Yöntemi
Katılımcılar
Toplamda 228 evli birey çalışmaya katılmıştır. Katılımcıların 91’i (% 39.9)
kadın, 137’si (% 60.1) erkektir. 23-75 yaş aralığında olan bu katılımcıların evlilik
süreleri 2 ay’dan 53 yıl’a kadar değişim göstermektedir. 218 katılımcı (% 95.6) ilk
evliliklerini, 7 katılımcı (% 3.1) ikinci evliliklerini, 3 katılımcı ise (% 1.3) ise üçüncü
evliliklerini yaşadıklarını belirtmişlerdir.
148 (% 64.9) kişi eğitim seviyesini üniversite veya yüksek okul olarak
belirtmiş, 44 (%19.3) kişi lisansüstü eğitim seviyesine sahip olduğunu, 34 (% 14.9)
kişi ise lise mezunu olduğunu ifade etmiştir. Sadece bir katılımcı (% 0.4) ilkokul
87
mezunu olduğunu, ve yine bir katılımcı (% 0.4) da ortaokul mezunu olduğunu
söylemiştir. Katılımcılara hayatlarının çoğunu geçirdikleri
yerleşim yerleri
sorulduğunda, 103’ü (% 45.2) çoğunlukla büyük şehirde, 100’ü (% 43.9) şehirde,
22’si (% 9.6) ilçede, 3’ü (% 1.3) ise köyde yaşadığını belirtmiştir.
163 (% 71.5) katılımcı çocuğu olduğunu, bunların 85’i (% 52.1) iki çocuğu
olduğunu, 63’ü (% 38.7) tek çocuk sahibi olduğunu, 12’si (% 7.3) üç çocuğu
olduğunu, 3’ü (% 1.9) ise dört çocuğu olduğunu belirtmiştir. 65 (% 28.5) katılımcı
ise çocuk sahibi olmadığını ifade etmiştir.
Veri Toplama Araçları
Katılımcılara Gönüllü Katılım Formu sunulup imzalamaları sağlandıktan sonra
cinsiyet, yaş, eğitim düzeyi, yaşadıkları yer, evlilik süreleri ve sayıları, ve ebeveynlik
durumları ile ilgili bilgi almak için hazırlanmış demografik bilgi formu bu kişilere
verilmiştir. Sonrasında, çalışmanın değişkenleri ile ilgili verileri toplamak amacıyla
katılımcılara Ebeveyn Kabul-Red Ölçeği (EKRÖ), Eş Kabul-Red Ölçeği (EŞKRÖ),
ve Young Şema Ölçeği-Kısa Form 3 (YSÖ-KF3) sunulmuştur.
Orijinali Rohner, Saavedra, ve Granum tarafından 1978’de (akt. Rohner &
Khaleque, 2005) tarafından geliştirilmiş olan Ebeveyn Kabul-Red Ölçeği (EKRÖ),
yetişkinlerin çocukluk yıllarında ebevynleriyle ilişkilerine ve algıladıkları kabul veya
redde dair hatırladıklarını ölçmeyi amaçlamaktadır. 60 maddesi olan bu ölçek 4
puanlı likert tipi (1. hiçbir zaman doğru değil – 4. hemen hemen her zaman doğru)
puanlama yöntemine sahiptir. Kişiler bu ölçeği doldururlarken ebeveynleri ile
çocukluk yıllarındaki ilişkilerini göz önünde bulundurmaları talimatı verilmektedir.
Ölçek Türkçe’ye Varan (2003) tarafından uyarlanmıştır. Ölçeğin toplam iç tutarlılık
katsayısı .97 olup, anne ve baba formlarında alt ölçekler için bu katsayılar .86 - .96
arasında değişmektedir.
Orijinali Rohner tarafından 2001 yılında geliştirilmiş olan Eş Kabul-Red
Ölçeği (EŞKRÖ) kişinin eşi ile ilişkisinde algıladığı kabul veya reddi ölçmeyi
amaçlamaktadır. EKRÖ ile aynı maddelerin eş için uyarlanmış haline sahip olan
EŞKRÖ de 4 puanlı likert tipi puanlamaya sahip 60 madde içermektedir. Ölçeğin
Türkçe adaptasyonu Varan (2003) tarafından gerçekleştirilmiş, İç tutarlılık katsayısı
.97 olarak belirlenmiştir.
88
Erken dönem uyumsuz şemaları ölçmek amacıyla geliştirilen Young Şema
Ölçeği – Kısa Form 3 (YSÖ-KF-3) 5 şema alanına dağılan 18 erken dönem uyumsuz
şemayı belirlemektedir (Young, 1999; Young et al., 2003). 90 maddeden oluşan bu
ölçek 6 puanlı likert tipi (1. Benim için tamamıyla yanlış – 6. Beni mükemmel
şekilde tanımlıyor)
puanlamaya sahiptir. Ölçeğin Türkçe adaptasyonu Soygüt,
Karaosmanoğlu, ve Çakır (2009) tarafından yapılmıştır. Bu adaptasyon çalışmasında
ise orijinalinden farklı olarak 14 şema belirlenmiş, bunlar da beş ayrı şema alanında
gruplanmıştır. Bu şema alanları: 1) kopukluk/reddedilme, 2) zedelenmiş otonomi, 3)
zedelenmiş sınırlar, 4) diğerleri yönelimlilik ve 5) yüksek standartlar olarak
belirlenmiştir. Ölçeğin iç tutarlılık katsayıları şema alanları için .53 -.81 arasında
değişmektedir.
İşlem
Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Uygulamalı Etik Araştırma Merkezi’nden
gerekli izinler alındıktan sonra, www.surveymonkey.com adresinde araştırmada
kullanılan ölçeklerin bulunduğu çevrimiçi bir anket hazırlanmıştır. Katılımcılardan
anketi başka evli tanıdıkları veya akrabalarına da iletmeleri istenmiş, böylece kartopu
örneklem toplama yöntemi ile daha fazla katılımcıya ulaşılmıştır. Çalışmaya
katılmayı kabul eden bireyler veri toplama araçlarını cevaplamadan önce gönüllü
katılım formunda çalışmaya katılmayı kabul ettiklerini beyan etmişlerdir.
Toplanılan veriler Sosyal Blimler için İstatistik Paketi (SPSS) ile analiz
edilmiştir. Veri temizleme işleminden sonra değişkenlerin arasındaki ilişkiler
Pearson korelasyon analizi ile yürütülmüştür. Sonrasında ise hipotezi sunulan şema
alanlarının ebeveyn kabul-reddi ile eş kabul-reddi arasındaki aracı değişken rolü ise
Bootstrapping yöntemi ile yapılan mediasyon yöntemi ile incelenmiştir.
Bulgular
Çalışmanın Değişkenleri aralarındaki Korelasyon Analizleri
Toplam Anne Reddi ile Toplam Eş Reddi arasındaki korelasyon olumlu
düzeyde anlamlı bulunmuştur (r = .38, p < .001). Toplam Baba Reddi ile Toplam Eş
Reddi arasındaki ilişki de olumlu düzeyde anlamlı bulunmuştur (r = .29, p < .001).
Sonuç olarak, hipotez edildiği gibi, çocukluktan hatırlanan anne veya baba reddi
arttıkça eşten algılanan red de artmaktadır.
89
İlaveten Toplam Anne Reddi ile bütün şema alanları (Kopukluk/Reddedilme: r
= .47, p < .001, Zedelenmiş Otonomi: r = .43, p < .001, Zedelenmiş Sınırlar: r = .14,
p < .05, Diğerleri Yönelimlilik: r = .20, p < .01, Yüksek Standartlar: r = .30, p <
.001) anlamlı derece ilişkili bulunmuştur. Toplam Baba Reddi de bütün şema alanları
(Kopukluk/Reddedilme: r = .45, p < .001, Zedelenmiş Otonomi: r = .42, p < .001,
Zedelenmiş Sınırlar: r = .15, p < .05, Diğerleri Yönelimlilik: r = .13, p < .05, Yüksek
Standartlar: r = .25, p < .001) anlamlı derecede ilişkili bulunmuştur. Bu çalışmada da
hipotez edildiği gibi, sonuç olarak, anneden veya babadan algılanan red arttıkça
erken dönem uyumsuz şema alanları da güçlenmektedir.
Şema alanları ile Toplam Eş Reddi arasındaki korelasyon incelendiğinde,
Kopukluk/Reddedilme (r = .50, p < .001), Zedelenmiş Otonomi (r = .44, p < .001) ve
Yüksek Standartlar (r = .21, p < .01) şema alanları ile Toplam Eş Reddi arasında
anlamlı ilişkiler bulunmuştur. Başka bir deyişle, kişinin Kopukluk/Reddedilme,
Zedelenmiş Otonomi ve Yüksek Standartlar şema alanları güçlendikçe algılanan eş
reddi de artmaktadır.
Aracı Değişken Analizleri
Erken dönem uyumsuz şema alanlarının ebeveyn kabul reddi ve eş kabul reddi
arasındaki aracı değişken rolü Bootstrapping yoluyla (Preacher & Hayes, 2004)
orijinal datadan yeniden elde edilen 5000 yeni örneklemle ve aracı değişken
rollerinin güven aralıklarının değerlendirilmesiyle incelenmiştir. Bunlara göre anne
reddinin eş reddi üzerinde anlamlı bir toplam etkisi (B = .33, SE = .05, p < .001)
olduğu belirlenmiştir. Anne reddinin eş reddi üzerindeki doğrudan etkisinin (B = .16,
SE = .05, p < .01) de anlamlı olduğu görülmüştür. Bu ilişkide anlamlı bir şekilde
aracı değişken rolü oynayan tek şema alanı ise kopukluk/reddedilme şema alanı, B =
.16, SE = .04, 95% CI [.07, .29], olarak saptanmıştır. Diğer bir deyişle, anne reddi ve
eş reddi arasındaki ilişkiye kopukluk/reddedilme şema alanı kısmi olarak aracılık
etmektedir. Bütün model ise varyansın % 28’ini açıklamıştır; adjusted R2 = .28, F (6,
221) = 16.01, p < .001. Baba reddinin eş reddi üzerinde de anlamlı bir toplam etkisi
(B = .27, SE = .05, p < .001) bulunduğu gözlemlenmiş, fakat baba reddinin eş reddi
üzerindeki doğrudan etkisinin anlamsız olduğu (B = .06, SE = .05, p > .05)
saptanmıştır. Baba reddi ile eş reddi arasındaki ilişkiye ise anlamlı olarak aracılık
90
eden tek şema alanı kopukluk/reddedilme şema alanı, B = .18, SE = .05, 95% CI [.08,
.32], olarak bulunmuştur. Diğer bir deyişle, kopukluk/reddedilme şema alanı baba
reddi ve eş reddi arasındaki ilişkide tam olarak aracı bir rol oynamaktadır. Bütün
model ise varyansın % 26’sını açıklamaktadır; adjusted R2 = .26, F (6, 221) = 14.41,
p < .001.
Tartışma
Bulgulara göre çocuklukta hem anneden hem de babadan algılan red ile
evlilikte eşten algılanan red anlamlı olarak ilişkili bulunmuştur. Bu bulgu geçmiş
çalışmalarla tutarlılık göstermektedir (Chyung & Lee, 2008; Parmar & Rohner, 2008;
Parmar ve ark., 2008; Varan, 2005; Eryavuz, 2006; Varan ve ark., 2008; Karpat,
2010). Ebeveyn-çocuk ilişkisinin yetişkinlik yakın ilişkilerine sürekliliği bağlanma
teorisinde de üzerinde durulan bir konu olmuş, kişinin ebeveyni ile ilişkisindeki
bağlanma stilini yetişkinlikte partneri ile ilişkisinde de gösterdiği öne sürülmüştür
(Hazan & Shaver, 1987 Bartholomew, 1990). Benzer bir şekilde, EKAR Kuramı da
ebeveynlerden yşamın erken dönemlerinde algılanan reddin ve sevgi eksikliğinin
kişinin yetişkinlikteki sosyal, özellikle romantik, ilişkilerini olumsuz şekilde
etkilediğini belirmiştir. Sonuç olarak, çalışmanın bu bulgusu hem geçmiş
çalışmalarla hem de teorik arka planla uyumludur.
Çalışmada ayrıca hem anne hem de baba reddi arttıkça kişinin bütün erken
dönem uyumsuz şema alanlarının (kopukluk/reddedilme, zedelenmiş otonomi,
zedelenmiş sınırlar, diğerleri yönelimlilik, yüksek stardartlar) da güçlendiği
bulunmuştur. Önceki çalışmalarda da geçmişteki olumsuz ebeveyn davranışlrının ve
ebeveyn reddinin yetişkinlikte daha yüksek erken dönem uyumsuz şemalarla alakalı
olduğu gösterilmiştir (Harris & Curtin, 2002; Cecero, Nelson & Gillie, 2004; Gök,
2012; Thimm, 2010a; Sarıtaş-Atalar & Gençöz, baskıda). Çalışmanın bu bulgusu
aynı zamanda hem Şema Modeli hem de EKAR Kuramı ile açıklanabilir. Şema
modeline göre, toksik çocukluk deneyimleri ve ebeveynlerin çocuklarının temel
duygusal ihtiyaçlarını karşılamamaları kişide katı, sürekli ve uyum bozucu bilişsel
yapılanmalar
oluşturur
ve
kişi
bu
yapılanmaları
etrafındaki
dünyayı
anlamlandırmakta şablon olarak kullanır (Young, 1999; Young ve ark., 2003).
Benzer bir şekilde Rohner (1986) de EKAR Kuramı’nda bu yapılanmalardan zihinsel
91
temsiller olarak bahseder, ve çocuğun erken dönemlerde ebeveynlerinden algıladığı
reddin zihinsel temsiller oluşturduğunu ve bu temsillerin de kişinin kendisine,
diğerlerine ve dünyaya bakışını olumsuz yönde etkilediğini öne sürmüştür. Sonuç
olarak, çalışmanın bu bulgusu hem literature ile hem de kuramsal bakış açıları ile
tutarlılık göstermektedir.
Erken dönem uyumsuz şema alanlarının eş kabul reddi ile ilişkisi
incelendiğinde kopukluk/reddedilme, zedelenmiş otonomi ve yüksek stardartlar şema
alanları evli bireylerde eşten algılanan red ile anlamlı derecede ilişkili bulunmuştur.
Daha önce bu ilişkiyi inceleyen bir çalışma yapılmamıştır fakat önceki çalışmalarda
erken dönem uyumsuz şemaların yakın ilişkide daha az yakınlık (Stiles, 2004), daha
yüksek kıskançlık (Göral-Alkan, 2010) ve daha düşük ilişki doyumu (Göral-Alkan,
2010; Dumitrescu & Rusu, 2012) gibi olumsuz bazı ilişki yapıları ile alakalı olduğu
ortaya konulmuştur. Bu katı, uyum bozucu ve kendini tekrarlayan bilişsel
yapılanmaların kişinin sadece psikolojik uyumunu değil sosyal ilişkilerini, özellikle
de yakın ilişkilerini olumsuz şekilde etkilediği Şema Modeli (Young & Gluhoski,
1997) tarafından da önerilmiştir. Bu bulgu da hem bu model ile hem de geçmiş
çalışmalar ile uyum göstermektedir.
Çalışmanın ana hipotezi ebeveyn kabul reddi ile eş kabul reddi arasındaki
ilişkide erken dönem uyumsuz şema alanlarının aracı rol oynayacağı, bunu takiben
oluşturulan araştırma sorusu ise hangi şema alanı/alanlarının bu ilişkide bir aracı rolü
olduğu idi. Bu doğrultuda yapılan analizler sonucunda kopukluk/reddedilme şema
alanı hem anne reddi ile eş reddi arasındaki ilişkide hem de baba reddi ile eş reddi
arasındaki ilişkide anlamlı olarak aracı rol oynamaktadır. Bu model daha önceki
çalışmalarda test edilmemiş olsa da kuramsal arka planı hem Şema Modeli hem de
EKAR Kuramı tarafından önerilmiştir. EKAR Kuramı (Rohner, 1986)’na göre
çocuklukta ebeveynden algılanan reddin etkileri kendini bireyin yetişkinliğinde
gösterir
ve bu devamlılık zihinsel temsiller
yoluyla oluşur. Çocuklukta
ebeveynlerinden red algılayan birey kendisi, diğerleri ve içinde yaşadığı dünya
hakkında çarpıtılmış zihinsel temsiller oluşturur ve bu temsiller de kişinin hem
psikolojik uyumunda hem de yakın ilişkilerinde zarar verici etkilere yol açar
(Rohner, 2004). Şema Modeli (Young ve ark., 2003)’ne göre de çocuklukta
92
ebeveynlerin çocuğun temel duygusal ihtiyaçlarını karşılayamamaları sonucunda bu
karı, sürekli ve kendini tekrarlayan bilişsel yapılanmalar oluşur ve birey hayatı
boyunca
dünyaya
bu
katı
yaılanmaların
gözlüğüyle
bakar.
Özellikle
kopukluk/reddedilme şema alanına sahip kişiler çocukluklarınde en çok travmatik ve
toksik deneyimlere maruz kalmış kişilerdir (Young ve ark., 2003). Çocuğa duygusal
olarak uzak olarak, ihmal ederek ya da saldırgan davranarak reddedici olan
ebeveynler çocuklarında insanların güvenilmez, ilgisiz, sevgi göstereyen kişiler
olduğuna bu nedenle de dugusal ihtiyaçlarının asla karşılanmayacağına dair inanç
oluşturmalarına yol açarlar. Bu da yetişkinlikte, çocuklukta ebeveynleri ile
deneyimlerinde olduğu gibi, eşlerinden de red ve soğukluk, ilgisizlik algılamlarına
yol açar. Young ve ark. (2003)’ın önerdiği ¨şema kimyası¨ kavramına göre bu sonuç
şemaların kendilerini sürdürücü yapısı nedeniyle kişilerin şemalarını tetikleyen ve
güçlendiren partner seçmeleri ile oluşmuş olabilir. Bu bulgunun bir diğer nedeni ise
bu kişilerin duygusal ihtiyaçlarının hiçbir zaman karşılanmayacağına dair katı ve
çarpıtılmış inançlarının eşlerini de taraflı bir şekilde değerlendirmeleri ve onları
olduğundan daha reddedici algılamaları da olabilir.
Çalışmanın Klinik Doğurguları
Öncelikle, bu çalışmanın bulgularına göre, kişilerin evlilklerinde duygusal
ihtiyaçlarının karşılanmadığını düşünmeleri hem ebeveynleri ile çocukluktaki
ilişkileri hem de bu geçmiş yaantılar sonucunda oluşmuş şema alanları sayesinde
anlamlandırılabilir. Evli bireyler eşleri ile problemlerinde ebeveynleri ile yalantıları
sonucunda oluşmuş kendileri ve diğerleri hakkında çarpıtılmış inançlarının oynadığı
rolü fark edebilirler. Bunun yanında klinisyenler de ebeveyn reddi ve eş reddi
arasında aracı rol oynayan kopukluk-reddedilme şema alanının iyileşmesine dair
spesifik tedaviler üretip uygulayabilirler.
Bunun yanında, çalışmanın bulguları çocuklukta ebeveynlerle ilişkinin
yetişkinlikte oluşan çarpıtılmış bilişsel temsillerle ve evlilikte algılanan red ile bağını
ortaya koymuştur. Bu nedenle, müdahale programları oluşturularak ebeveynler
ebeveyn-çocuk ilişkisinde kabulün kişinin duygusal ve sosyal gelişiminde ve
evliliğindeki önemli etkisine dair eğitilebilirler.
93

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